Heart of the Kingdom
by f3296
Summary: full summary inside :3
1. Chapter 1

_**Kimiko Tohomiko is the Young princess of the Tohomiko home who is soon to be married off to Chase Young, a prince from the Young Family. When Kimiko runs away to avoid being married to this man, She finds herself in sector 8, a place that is in the middle of war with the Tohomiko's and the Pedrosa families. This is also the place that is said the Prince of the Pedrosa home's dead body can be found. After confrentation of the sectors leader, Rai, He allows her to stay and live here even if it will cause more trouble between the houses. Something about there leader has caught Kimikos intrest. How familiar he seems but also notices he is holding a dark secret from everyone.**_

_**Please enjoy! **_

"Kimiko!" Yelled a voice coming from the western castle of the shun country. here lived The Royal family of the Tohomiko. They were well knowned for their intelligence and inventions built. A maid that worked for the home went running through the castle looking for the only daughter of the King, Toshiro Tohomiko. He is a proud man living in this home with his daughter Kimiko...who has wondered off. The maid took a second to catch her breath as she thought for a moment where she could be.

"I swear the girl doesnt know the meaning of 'on time'." She groaned as she went outside to the garden. Here she found the princess sitting at the edge of the Garden on the wooden bench looking out towards the feilds.

Kimiko Tohomiko. age 18. She stood at 5'5 with a slim figure. She had raven black hair that went down to her the bottom of her back. Her asian features were brought out by her bright blue eyes. She sat there in her full silk purple dress that went down close to her ankles. She wasnt wearing any shoes.

"There you are Kimiko." The maid said standing next to her. She groaned as she held out her hand.

"Come now. We are going to be late." She told her. Kimiko looked up at her and smiled.

"Sit next to me Leah." Kimiko said as she patted a spot next to her on the bench. Leah rolled her eyes as she sat next to her. Kimiko shifted as she layed her head on Leah's lap humming slightly. Leah sighed as she looked down at the young princess.

"Kimiko we dont have time for this. we have to go." Leah said trying to lift Kimiko off of her but she wouldnt budge.

"I dont want to." She said quietly.

"You must."

"And why should I?" Kimiko said sitting up looking at the elder maid.

"Because it is your duty as the princess to do." Leah explained.

"Being married off to someone so they can take over my palace doesnt seem much like a duty." Kimiko pouted as she curled up the her legs to her chested.

"Kimiko, this is no time to be a stubborn child." Leah said.

"I hate this. This is rediculous! I dont want to see him!" Kimiko yelled as she layed her head on the top of her knees. Leah moved closer to her and rubbed her back.

"Kimiko, you havent even met him yet. How do you know if youll like him or not? What would you whether wait till meeting him on the wedding day?" She said.

"Thats the problem Leah! I have never met him before. I havent gotten the time to know him and I am being force to marry him! Why do I have to marry such a stranger? Let alone the fact that he is from the Young family!" Kimiko complained.

"Well would you whether it be from the Spicers?" Kimiko shivered by the thought.

"The young's are very sweet gentlemen and I believe that he will be a good suit for you." Leah tried to comfort her. Kimiko tilted her head to the side looking at a small rabbit eating the grass beside them.

"I dont trust them Leah. I dont trust them at all." Kimiko said quietly. Leah sighed. She stood up at brushed off her apron.

"Come Kimiko before your father gets worried." She told her as she held out her hand once again. Kimiko looked up at her and groaned as she finally stood up. Leah took notice to the princess's absents of shoes.

"Kimiko?" She said pointing at her feet. She smirked.

"Well this prince will have to accept me for me or not at all."

An hour or so past as Kimiko walked into the main room of the palace to meet her father and the prince of the Young home on the Eastern side of Shun country.

Shun country was a large area of the world that was ruled under Kings and queens on the modern time. Here layed 5 main kingdoms. Tohomiko tower, Young Dinasty, Spicer Court, Pedrosa Palace, and the Dashi Stronghold. Each home was known for having their own unique qualities. The main home was the Dashi home which ruled over the others. But, this did not stop the other houses to fight with each other. For years now the Pedrosa and the Tohomiko have been at war over the missing prince of Pedrosa that the Youngs have told to have been Kidnapped and murdered by the Tohomiko soldiers and his body was hidden within one of the sectors that was in between the houses.

Sectors, were best known for where the normal people or "Muts" were found. They were poor and had practically nothing. all together there are 12 sectors. 12 was the poorest of them all. The Young had told the Pedrosas that the Tohomiko had hidden the body within sector 8, which lies in between the house Tohomiko and Pedrosa. Because of this, Sector 8 has also become involved in this fight and have tried to convince the two house that the prince was not there. No one will listen. In hopes to end the Pedrosa Rein, Toshiro plans to marry off Kimiko to the prince of Young to take over their home when Toshiro passes. Kimiko is not happy about this arrangement.

kimiko and Leah walked down the long satan hallways to meet in the main room. Leah caught Kimiko mummering something under her breath.

"What is it dear?" She asked.

"Oh, im sorry. I was just thinking how it would be to marry off to the Pedrosa instead. I dont care if we are fighting now I perfer them over Young. Kimiko said.

"Actually my dear when you were just a child you were suppose to marry the prince of Pedrosa." Leah said bluntly. Kimiko looked at her with surprise.

"really?"

"Yes dear. Unfortunatly, thats around the time that he had disapeared. Such a shame, he was such a handsome young man." Leah in almost a daze.

"So Im guessing he was alot older then me?" Kimiko asked not very much surprised since she had been born alot later then most other children were.

"Not as much as you would think. Just about four or five years is the real difference. You were only about 4 when he met you. So now if he were alive he would be about 23 or 24." She said. Kimiko groaned at the fact that even as a small child her father tried to marry her off. But, that didnt bother her as much as being married to someone of the Young family. She personally liked the Pedrosas for how they were. They are so strong and have so much pride but refuse to fight only when it was necissary. Unlike the Young's who were ready for any battle big or small. They also had a history with experiments. Kimiko had a feeling that the Young family had something to do with the disapearence of the prince.

"Was he nice?" Kimiko asked.

"Who dear?"

"The Pedrosas prince.."

Leah sighed.

"He was one of the kindest little boys I have ever met. He took such a liking to you as well. I believe it was your eyes that truly caught his attention."

"My eyes?" kimiko asked cocking her head to the side.

"Yes. Never once he didnt mention something about your eyes. It truly is a shame such a pure sou could be taken." Leah said.

Kimiko kept her head down walking the rest of the way.

They made it to the main room where she saw her father, standing at 5'4 with a black bowl cut hair and black beedy eyes, standing there with his personal assistant Omi who was just as short as he was. Omi was an orphan and Torshiro was more then happy to allow him to live in his home with him. He had yellowish skin and a bald head with black eyes like her father.

"Ah, Kimiko there you are, I was afraid you almost forgot." Torshiro said with a smile.

"Wish I did." Kimiko mummured to get a elbow in the arm by Leah. The groaned but soon controled herself as she looked up to see a man walking into the room. He was dressed in all silk like any royal person would. A simple prince hat that he wore. He had long black hair that was almost longer then hers. He had peircing yellow eyes and pale color skin. He was very well built but he was alot older then she was. He walked up to her with very little caution. He went down on one knee and took hold of her hand and kissed it lightly.

"I am very honored to meet you madam. Hello I am Chase Young and I will be your proud and honored Fiance." He said with a sweet voice it could make any idiotic girl melt. Kimiko rolled her eyes as she knew this was going to be a long day.


	2. Burden of a princess

Note: Just to everyone. People have been saying how this is sounding like the hunger games. I dont know what that is could someone tell me what it is? :] And I know I have alot of grammer issues. Its because I am on Notepad on a Notebook so I don't have auto check on spelling and stuff and I type fast and I usually type my stuff really late at night so I skim through it fast so pleae forgive me if their is a lot of spelling issues.

Please enjoy!

Kimiko stood awkwardly looking at this man she was going to marry. He wore the finest of silk and knew he was filled with alot of pride. He was a snob.  
>"Well the introductions are done why don't we speak more of a buisness perspective." Omi said pulling out a clip board writing something down.<p>

"Ah very good idea Omi. Now Chase why dont we speak more privatly in the conference room?" Torshiro requested.

"Of course my lord." Chase said bowing to the small king. Torshiro looked up to his daughter and smiled.

"Kimiko why dont you join us for this meeting. I think it's about time to start getting an opinion from you for these situations." Kimiko's eyes went wide. She has never been to one of the meetings before.

"Yes she would love to!" Leah announced leaving Kimiko shocked.

"But-" kimiko tried to retourt but was cut off.

"Good! Come now kimiko." Torshiro walking with Omi to the room down the hall. Kimiko groaned not wanting to go. She felt a nudge as she notice Chase next to her earging her to go.

"Would you like me to guide you?" He ask holding out his hand offering to lead. She narrowed her eyes at him and secretly growled. He smirked at her as he continued walking. She started to walk but was stopped by Leah.

"Kimiko, please behave yourself." She simply said. Kimiko cocked her head to the side confused but continued to the room.  
>Here is where her father took care of buisness with money or war. kimiko had a feeling that meeting was a mix of both. As she walked in she saw the large circle table in the middle of the red themed room. On the table had a electronic map of the Shun country. She observed the room with awe for she had never been in here before. She looked to see a large screen on the wall that looked to be a projector.<p>

"Kimiko please have a seat." Omi said pulling out a seat for her. She smiled as she took a seat farthest from Chase who stood at the end of the table looking at the map.

"So Omi what has been happening this past month?" Torshiro asked as he took a seat next to Chase. Omi hesitated at first as he pulled out his clip board again.

"Taxes are running all as well my lord." He started. Kimiko saw her father shake his head in approval.

"Trades have also been well from the foreigners as well my lord." Omi said with happiness.

"Honestly sir, everything is running quite smoothly besides the recent robberies from the outsiders." Omi stated. Kimiko's eyes suddenly went wide.

"What robberies?" She asked worried for she had no idea of this.

"In the inner city, muts from the sectors have been coming in taking neccesary items." torshiro mentioned. kimiko heard Chase chuckle slightly. Kimiko gave him a glare that made him smirk.

"The only sector that is giving us any kind of issue is sector 8 as usual." He said sitting up. He clicked a button on the table that caused an image to appear on the screen. It was a picture of a man with his back towards the camera. He wore ragged clothing but was well built and very tan. She couldn't see his face for he was wearing what looked like a ski mask. The only thing she saw was his bright green eyes.

"This little maggot is the reason for all the robberies. He is the leader of sector 8 which has lead his own army into the war. Just recently he is getting more cocky and is deciding to get closer to the palaces near by." Chase pointed to a small square on the table named "sector 8" It was in the worst of area for it was surrounded by the Pedrosa, Tohomiko, and Young territories.

"He even sent a small group towards my inner city in hopes for scraps." Chase said as he smirked.

"If you're raised as a dog you will have the tendency to act like a dog." Toshiro stated. Kimiko was really surprised by her fathers words.

"Yes well this mut has been getting himself in alot of trouble. Their pathetic excuse of an army has actually brought down quite a few soldiers." Chase said.

"Why are you saying that they are pathetic if they can actually fight back? They're defending their home that we invaded of course a leader will rise and fight. You have no right to call anyone pathetic if they are giving everything they have to fight for what they believe is right." Kimiko spoke up.

"Kimiko shush." Torshiro said. Kimiko felt her irratation rise.

"That may be true, but he has been a nuisance lately and I have an idea to end it." Chase said as he took a seat and crossed his arms.

"As you are aware Torshiro, my father died many years ago and since I had no mother and no other elder siblings, Dashi kept our kingdom on Nuetral. We have been unable to help fight with this war or even defend our selves if Pedrosa decided to turn on us. But, if everything does go as plan with me and kimiko, we will be able to combine both your lands and our Necular weaponery. Now my plan is fairly simple but highly productive. What we need to do is take hold of their leader and exicute him on the public network so that all will see him fall. Soon after sectors 8's leader is gone, we will be able to take down Pedrosa's empire by using the nuclear weapons to go through sector 8 right to the Pedrosa's." Chase said with so much pride as he lead his finger right through the sector to the Pedrosa home.

"Of course, there are rumors that this man did get himself involved with witches and magic from the mountains so he has powers that we cannot explain. So if these rumors are true then I suppose we will have to also invade the mountains as well." Chase said with his eyes lighting up with excitement.

Kimiko stood up and slammed her hands on the table.

"I will not allow such barbaric acts!" She yelled.

"Kimiko!" said Torshiro.

"Father how can you allow this to even come to mind? your talking about vaporizing thousands of innocent lives just so you could show yourself innocent to the Pedrosa's? You will make the Tohomiko and Young families look like nothing more then monsters!" Kimiko yelled.

"Yes, but sitting back and allowing muts to come in and take control will not work either princess." Chase said crossing his arms.

"They are NOT muts! They are people like us and we have to right to take their lives!" She protested.

"Enough!" Torshiro yelled as he soon stood up as well.

"No! You say that your home is under nuetral but Dashi unless you have been married off. And you need to marry me to take our land to put your weapons. Well I refuse your request in marraige!" She yelled as she ran out of the room being followed by her father.

"Kimiko stop now!" Torshiro yelled running after the young princess. Kimiko stopped at the large window that showed the outskirt wall towards the inner city where the nobles and higher class people lived. Kimiko stopped at looked at her fuming father.

"Kimiko stop acting like such a child!" He yelled.

"Father your falling for his trap! He is trying to trash the Tohomiko name by making it seem like were murderers!" kimiko protested.

"I know that it is not the best way but we must protect the kingdom and as the duty of the princess you WILL marry him and become queen when im gone." He explained.

"I will not marry him!" She fought back.

"Kimiko!"

"No!"

Torshiro growled as he turned away and started to walk away.  
>"The one thing I miss most about your mother is that she was able to convience you to do things alot easier then I could." He said as he walked away back to the confrence room. Kimiko sighed as she walked to her large bedroom that was designed with a purple scene. She laid on her large queen bed and she thought about her mother. She died about 7 years ago of a mysterious sickness that doctors couldn't identify. She missed her to the point just thinking about her she would start to cry. Ever since her death, Kimiko's father has been on edge about everything that would be happening. Kimiko also had a hard time talking to her father as well and knew he would make her marry that murderer. Kimiko had a thought running through her head that could change so much about her. It was a good possibility. She was going to run away.<p> 


	3. Take a Leave

**Note: I know the chapters have been short and not as descriptive as some of my other stories are. It's just because it's the beginning of the story and I'm not very well at writing beginnings but I promise next chapter will be long.**

**Please enjoy and Review!**

Kimiko sat on her been impatiently. She glanced behind her to see her now packed bag with just basics and not very much. For the whole day she thought about where she would would go. Either sector one or two would work. She knew she couldn't stay within a kingdom's city limits for someone would diffidently recognize her. She felt like a coward. A traitor even worse for abandoning her kingdom. But, she will not marry a man who is willing to kill thousands to prove a point. Kimiko held a letter in her hand that she would place at the door of her fathers room while he is sleeping, explaining why her leaving and how sorry she was. She looked outside her oversized window to look out to the horizon to see the sun setting silently behind the hills.

"I hope I'm doing the right thing mother." She told herself.

A few hours past as now the sun had finally disappeared and the stars were out bright. Kimiko opened the door of her room slowly and quietly. She wore a black wool coat over herself so that no one could recognize her. Also so that no one would see her silken clothing and know she was a royal. She kept her bag over her shoulder as she swiftly ran down the long dark hallways of the palace. She kept to the shadows and made sure she wouldn't make any noise at all. She came to her fathers room. She put her head to the door to hear the inside. She heard snoring so she knew he was sleeping. She pulled out the letter and looked at it sadly. She kissed it lightly as she went down to her knees to slide it underneath the door leaving only a sliver of it exposed to the other side of the door.

"I love you papa." She said quietly. She stood up and sighed quietly as she went towards the front of the castle. What she didn't realize was that someone was watching her the hole time. They came and took the letter from the floor and took hold of it. A dark smirk formed on their face as they crumpled the letter in their hand and allowed the young princess to run away with no explanation.

Kimiko went to the front of the home out the large doors as quietly as she could. She took one last glance at her home before giving a silent goodbye and shutting the large doors behind her. She leaned against the door for a moment feeling the adrenalin racing through her veins. She was running away. She was actually doing it. She had never even been out of the castle grounds and now she was going out into the real world. She laughed slightly thinking how exciting this was for her. She walked quietly to the wall to the inner city.

One thing she was enjoying about the Tohomiko guards is that you show your from the royal family, they allow you to do anything. This is the only way kimiko was able to leave her inner city. Kimiko looked out into the woods that covered most of the country. She smelt the fresh night air and heard the crickets chirp quietly. She gulped as she continued walking into the woods that she had never been before.

To Kimiko, walking felt like forever. She followed the very faint road that lead to nowhere in hope to lead to somewhere. Her goal to getting to the higher up sectors where very faint. She sighed knowing that she chose to leave and she chose to live in this world as another commoner in the sectors. Anything was better then living as the queen who murdered thousands. As she walked she thought about how her father would react when he found out she left? She hoped he will understand how she can't live like someone like that. She was so into her thoughts she lost focused on where she was exactly going. She stopped for a moment to listen to the outside noises. She heard birds. Owls to be more descriptive. But what caught her attention was the sounds of ruffling within the bushes. She flung her head to the other side as a similar sound came from there as well. She felt her heart beat accelerate. She started to walk faster hoping to be lead somewhere soon so she would be out of the woods. She gasped as she heard growling behind her. It sounded like one or two wolves were behind her. She started to shake suddenly.

"Stay calm." She told herself. She tried to continue walking till she heard the growling get louder and closer. Kimiko could only think to do one thing. Run. As she did the wolves followed close behind. Even though she couldn't see them, she knew they were there. She ran as fast she could. It was hard for her to run in flat leather slip on shoes and her purple silk dress. She started to panic as she started to hear the wolves barking enjoying the chase. She was so focused on the animals chasing her from behind, she didn't realize a ledge that came underneath her. Quickly enough she ended up being at the bottom of the 8ft ledge falling into a group of bushes. She sat there for a moment in pain, not use to the pain of nature. After her groaning, she stayed quiet for a moment to listen for the wolves. She hoped that they wouldn't come down looking for her. She could hear them on the top of the ledge panting and growling.

Moments past till finally they had left. Kimiko took a moment to catch her breath.

"I almost died." She quietly. She laughed slightly for the new experience. She slowly got out of the bush. She stood up to see she had lost both of the leather shoes she was wearing and was wearing dirty ripped up white socks. Her dress was torn in various places as her cloak was gonna long ago in the chase. She also took notice that she dropped her bag back on the trail. Kimiko sighed knowing that she couldn't go back and get it.

She felt goosebumps begin to grow all around her arms. It was cold. She looked in the direction she could continue going. She saw lights.

"A city!" She said with excitement as she ran down the hill as fast as she could feeling accomplished she had made it to another city with no help from anyone else. She slid down the hill slightly as she ran to the ledge that leads to the path of the city. But she was surprised to see the so called city was really a sector.

"I wonder which one this one is?" she said to herself. It was a large sector that was for sure so it was a poor one. The more richer ones were very low populated. Kimiko wanted to go down but no one was probably awake at this hour and she didn't want to get arrested for trespassing after hours. Kimiko was stuck with a problem. She sat in the grass for a moment think where would she stay till the morning. She brought her knees up to her chest as she laid her head on her knees. She closed her eyes and sighed. She reopened them to see a small supply closet it looked like. She sat up and cocked her head to the side. She stood up slowly and thought for a moment.

"What's a supply closet doing all the way out here?" she asked herself. She walked over to it slowly. It was only had an area of 100 sq ft. It was a metal looking shed. Kimiko looked to see a lock on the door to open it. She smirked as she took hold of the lock that took a key.

"I don't anyone will mind if I just sleep her for the night right?" She said as she pulled out a remaining bobby pin in her hair and put lightly in the lock. She was careful as she focused on the lock. Soon enough she was able to get it open.

"Gotcha!" She yelled with excitement. She opened the door to the shed to show the shelves were filled with weaponry. Kimiko froze for a moment to witness all the bombs and guns laying around on the shelves. She walked in slowly scared of the sight of how many weapons were here. She looked down to see a emergency kit. Her eyes went wide and she took hold of the small container. In it was a bottle water, rubbing alcohol and a blanket. Kimiko sucked down all the water from the bottle then wrapped herself into the blanket in a tight wrap. She was tired and knew when she woke up, she would continue her quest. She thought about her mother and hope this would make her happy. Happy that she was doing something on her own. Kimiko was unbelievably proud of herself. She fell asleep smiling.


	4. Sector 8

As the sun shone over the farthest of horizons, the creatures of the world began to awaken. Within the distance of the small shed where the princess slept, a figure began to walk closer. A girl. A young girl in her late teens hummed to herself as she started to walk towards the shed. She had long red hair that was kept up in a pony tail. She was thin and well built as she wore a ragged tank top with dirty washed out jeans. She wore worn out black converse with one shoe untied. She also had bright green eyes as she continued walking towards the shed. As she got closer she noticed the lock on the door was unlocked. She hesitated slightly as she opened the door quickly to stand in shock for a moment. She looked down to see Kimiko laying on the floor fast asleep with the blanket around her.

"What the hell?" the girl said. She soon saw Kimiko begin to stir as she finally started to awaken. She looked to see the red headed girl looking back at her. Kimiko became frighten.

"AH!" Kimiko screamed as she took anything she had and began to throw it at the mysterious girl standing in the doorway dodging every throw.

"What the hell is the matter with you!" The girl backing away from the door. Kimiko stood up pulling up her already torn dress holding up a gun ready to throw.

"Don't come any closer!" She threatened shaking slightly from holding the weapon.

"Excuse me miss priss! This is my shed your sleeping in!" The girl shot back. Kimiko was confused at first but soon dropped the weapon as she walked outside. She looked around to see the beautiful outside. The grass was a perfect shade of green as the breeze blew slightly. She looked to see the small village it seemed that was down the hill to see it awake and moving. She looked at the girl to see her wardrobe.

"Tell me, where am I?" Kimiko asked surprised to see how fantastic it was to be in the fresh air.

"You mean you don't know where you are?" The girl asked with doubting eyes.

"No I do not. I was chased last night by wolves and I guess I lost my way to where I was going." Kimiko admitted.

"So you decided to take cover in my weapons' shed?" She asked. Kimiko nodded in response.

The girl took a second to observe Kimiko and her fine silk.

"Your from the inner city aren't you?" She asked.

"Technically speaking yes." Kimiko smiled with a chuckle. Soon the girl stuck out her hand to Kimiko.

"Well an escapie is always welcomed even if she took refuge in my shed. The name is Nick nice to meet ya." She said with excitement. Kimiko looked at her confused.

"What?" Nick asked as she tipped her head to the side.

"Nick, that's a boys name is it not?" Kimiko asked.

"Well my name is Nicole. They call me Nicki or Nick. Whats your's there priss?" She said with a smirk. Kimiko growled at the comment "Priss" then took a moment to look at the girls eyes.

"You are Pedrosa are you not?" Kimiko asked. Nicki looked at her with confusion.

"Your eyes. They are green. They are a special trait that only the Pedrosa have is it not?"

"Yea well I ain't royalty. If that's what you mean. I was from the noble city. Are you a foreigner? Foreigners have blue eyes." Nicki shot back.

'My mother was a foreigner yes. But, I am from Tohomiko. And what did you mean when you thought I was a refugee?" kimiko asked.

"Well the only time I ever see a noble is when they are escaping the inner cities." Nicki explained.

"Well I guess I would be taking refuge in?" Kimiko said hinting to Nicki telling her she didn't know where she was.

"Welcome to sector 8." Nicki said walking back down the hill. Kimiko stood in shock for a moment. Sector 8! The one place that hated royals more then anything in the world and she was abandoned here.

"You coming priss?" Nicki called from the bottom of the hill. Kimiko had to think fast. She knew she couldn't just leave for she had no where to go and knew she probably wouldn't make it another night in the forest. She took a deep breath and slowly walked down where Nicki was waiting for her. Kimiko took a second and took another look at what was sector 8. It was actually larger then expected to be. There was a large tower that layed in the middle of the sector. It look to have stood about a good 5 stories. Kimiko's attention was drawn by the sounds of engines and skidding. She looked to see of the entrance of the sector were military hummers and motorcycles coming in from the south. She saw men running inside quickly.

"Is that your Army?" kimiko asked Nicki who kept her attention straight.

"Yea." She simply said. Nicki looked at Kimiko with a little suspicion.

"What did you say your name was again?" Nicki asked. Kimiko hesitated slightly and had to think. Maybe she didn't know who the princess was and Kimiko is a common name right? Kimiko put up and smile and looked at Nicki.

"My name is Kimiko." Her happiness soon turned to fear as she felt a sharp blade against her throat.

"Kimiko Tohomiko. The princess of the Tohomiko grounds and you have the guts to come to sector 8?" Nicki yelled in anger.

"I have done anything to sector 8! I left the castle to save you!" Kimiko blurted making Nicki to retract back.

"What are you talking about?"

Kimiko took a breath.

"I was suppose to marry the prince of the Young house, but if that were to have happen, He would have taken advantage of our land and used it to store his nuclear weaponry and shot it off through sector 8 to reach the Pedrosa Palace." Kimiko explained. She looked at Nicki to see the doubt in her eyes.

"I'm being honest!" She yelled.

"Hey! Don't get all angry with me it isn't my call anyway!" Nicki put her hands up in defense.

"Well who's is it then?" she asked.

"Rai." Nicki said blankly. Kimiko remembered through the slide-show seeing this leader of sector 8 but not what his face looked like. But from the sound of it, he was a monster.

"Take me to him then and I will convince him." Kimiko said trying to stay calm. All she got was a hardy laugh from Nicki.

"Your kidding right? Rai hates royals with a passion. He sees you be lucky he wont kill you." she explained.

"Ill take my chances." Kimiko said proudly. Nicki mummer something under her breath before continuing down the hill.

"Lets go miss priss!" she called. Kimiko growled as she continued down the hill.

Moments passed till they made it to the back entrance of the walls of sector 8. Kimiko was trying to look over the large, old stone wall that stood in there way. She felt a tug at her arm and soon felt her body being dragged down behind the bushes. Her mouth covered by Nicki. They saw sector 8's soldiers walking by laughing about something as they carried in large sacks of items. As soon as they passed Nicki released Kimiko and looked at her.

"OK, a couple of things we need to go over first. 1, your not gonna just walk in and tell him your the princess. Just for a while your going to have to stall and say your just a servant girl that worked in the castle. He'll be OK with that. And second," She paused and looked at Kimiko's wardrobe at her shredded up silk and missing shoes.

"You can't go in looking like that." She said. Nicki took a second to look around. Right above the wall was a laundry string with a shirt and pants connected. Nicki took a second to see the tree next to the wall and had an idea.

"Stay here for a second. She said. Kimiko observed Nicki and was shocked as she watched her jump off the side of the large wall and jumped to grabbed one of the top branches. As she did she pulled herself up into the tree to crawl up and grab the pieces of clothing that were hung to dry. She came back down as swiftly as when she first went up. Kimiko was astonished by her movements.

"Your a fighter aren't you?" Kimiko asked. Nicki was confused by the question at first then caught on.

"Well when you live in a world of war, you gotta learn how to fight like a warrior. Now here put these on. If anyone sees you with silk on, your next stop is the grave." she said handing Kimiko a pair of dirty jeans and a black T-shirt with two white socks.

"Were gonna have to get you shoes later but for now this will do." she said.

Kimiko came out from the bushes dressed in her knew clothes as her silk was put in a bag for her to carry.

"Keep the silk because its worth a lot here." Nicki explained. Kimiko was a bit uncomfortable for she wasn't use to wearing pants, let alone jeans. Nicki led both her to the front gate. Nicki made them mix in with the crowed of soldiers coming in. They walked next to a man who was on a horse. Kimiko found found it ironic that they had a mixture of horses and trucks and motorcycles. Kimiko was surprised as she saw in the inside of the bag was filled with food. Kimiko remembered Chase saying something that they were going to the inner cities and stealing food. She kept her look straight as they made it into the sector. From the outside it seemed like a cute little town, but in reality, it was nothing of the sort. She looked to see no signs of living plants. The ground was all dirt and the trees were all dead. The homes were also looked to be depressing. They were metal shacks and some even had little brick to show. She saw people riding around on motorcycles and quads that weren't even part of the party she was walking with. She stopped as the men began to separate with bags of food. She heard a thump on the side of her and notice one of the larger men dropped one of the bags. She grabbed it and looked inside to see it was full of bread. Before she was going to call the man telling him about the bag, a group of small children came up beside her. They were small children from the range of 6-10. They were small and thin but had life in their eyes. That wasn't what Kimiko was expecting. She watched them lick their lips and knew they wanted the food. She grabbed the larger bread and split it up between the group of them. There was only about 5 of them so it was simple. She smiled as she watched them gobble it down.

"Pardon me lil' lady." Said a burly voice behind her. She looked to see a tall and largely build man that looked to be in his middle twenties. He had shaggy blonde hair and bright blue eyes and he wore a raggy old cow boy hat. He was wearing a dirty white button up shirt and a black leather jacket with some blue jeans and large leather boots.

"May I take that from you there?" He asked pointing at the bag. Kimiko hesitated for a second but did as she was told.

"Thank you ma'am. These kids here know better. We gotta split it between everyone remember?" He said to the kids with a stern voice but with a smile.

"Yes Mister Clay." The kids said with there heads down.

"That's better, now take this bag to the tower then we can eats some dinner." he said handing the bag to the boy in the front of the group. The children laughed as they headed towards the large tower that still layed in the middle.

"Sorry bout them. They're growing still." The man said with a smile. She saw him stick out his hand towards her.

"Names Clay Bailey nice to meet ya." He said. She took hold of his hand and smiled.

"My name is Kimiko." She soon felt his hand leave hers. She saw the shock that was on his face.

You mean your Kimiko.." He was caught off.

"Tohomiko." Said a cocky voice. Kimiko looked to see a man leaning against the wall of the entrance. He was tall and thin with a muscular toned body. He was wearing black cargo pants with a slit through where the knee was. He wore a skin tight black shirt that brought out the outline of his abs. He also had a teared leather vest on with chains that connected across his stomach. He had black semi spiked hair and bright green eyes.

Nicki was rushing to the front finally realizing that she left Kimiko. When she got close she saw the black haired man walking up to Kimiko.

"Shit.." Nicki said.

Kimiko backed up slightly afraid of this man.

"I'm guessing Nicki brought you in?" He said with a smirk.

"Now, I'm gonna tell you now, unless you want to see what you look like from the inside, I suggest you leave." He said coldly. Kimiko stood straight looking at this man.

"Would you mind not scaring away everyone Unit?" Nicki said crossing her arms. The man stood straight and looked at Nicki.

"Nick! I didn't see you there." He said with an innocent smile. Nicki walked up next to him and punched him in the arm.

"Please excuse this idiot. Hes my brother. His name is John but he is just known as Unit when he acts like a moron." She explained. Kimiko was actually surprised they where related for he was really intimidating.

"Now Nicki your taking a risk to be bringing a royal into the sector." John stated never taking his eyes off Kimiko.

"There's a reason." She said.

"Well it better be good cuz here he comes." Clay said pointing at a roaring motorcycle coming there way. Kimiko watched as it blasted through the entrance and made a screeching stop. Kimiko looked as a tall man with a black helmet hopped off the large bike with a brown bag. He was wearing black vans and Grey jeans. He had on a black jacket and a Grey T-shirt. He was tan from what skin was shone. Kimiko watched as he clicked the side of the helmet and he slipped it off. She was astonished as she saw his shaggy brown hair that fell to the side of his face. He had beautiful green eyes that were a different shade from Nicki and John. They were darker. She flinched as he looked to their direction. His calm eyes turned fierce. He walked over with force and she stepped back slightly.

"Someone mind explaining to me why the fuck the princess of Tohomiko is here?" He said with so much fierce that Kimiko knew this was going to be harder then she thought.


	5. Welcome home

_**Well I decided since so many people wanted me to update this story so soon I did. Well here you all go!**_

Kimiko took a step back slightly as the man named Rai walked up. Before he could get any closer, Clay walked in between her and him.

"Now come on Rai partner, lets just calm down a bit." He said with a smile putting his hands up in retreat.

"Clay, move." Rai said as he growled slightly.

"Now Rai,"

"Move!" He said in almost a shout now this time catching the attention of the other people from sector 8. Kimiko looked around to see Mothers pulling their children into the small shacks as the men gathered around to watch. Kimiko stood frozen as Rai stared at her with cold eyes. She heard a chuckle and looked to see the man known as Unit A.K.A John smirking at the sight. Kimiko looked up at Rai who was only a few feet away from her. There was something off. It looked like he was struggling to keep up his anger.

The moment cut off when the sound of Nicki sneezing. Nicki looked up to see Rai facing her now. She brought her hands behind her back and gave an innocent smile and laugh.

"Mind explaining this?" He said pointing at Kimiko without looking at her. Kimiko gasped as she looked at his hand to see that the black leather gloves he was wearing were covered with blood.

"Now there is uhm...a good reason?" Nicki said. Kimiko could see on Nicki's face how nervous she was. Kimiko wondered how much of a monster this man was.

"What kind of reason could she have told you to bring her here?" He yelled still not facing her. Kimiko was snow starting to get annoyed by his actions towards her.

"Well I..." Nicki tried to start but was soon cut off.

"Get her out of here." He said starting to walk away.

"Rai!" Clay yelled.

"Now!" He yelled. Kimiko had finally lost her patience.

"What an animal..." She said quietly but loud enough for Rai to hear. Turning his head slightly.

"What was that?" He said coldly. Kimiko brought her head up and anger was spread across her face.

"I said you're an animal! I have done nothing to you or haven't said a word and you judge me so quickly!" She yelled. She flinched as she felt something fall to her feet. She looked to see what looked to be a dagger now trapped within the ground. She looked to see Rai staring right at her.

"Shut up." He said. Kimiko gulped but kept a straight face.

"No." She said. She saw as Nicki started to back off slightly. She watched as Rai starting to march over to her.

"You out of all people have no right top call me an animal!" He said as he picked up the knife and brought up the knife to her neck.

"Rai stop!" Clay said but to get Rai's hand in return for his halt.

"If I have no right then why do you react so quickly?" She said keeping her fear contained.

"I have every right to cut your throat right now." He said narrowing his eyes.

"What have I done?" She yelled.

"Look at what your damn kingdom has done to us!" He yelled pointing at the front again. Kimiko gasped as she saw the tons of men coming in on boards and covered with blood. Some even looked to be dead.

"If anyone is a damn dog is the royals!" He yelled pulling the knife from her neck.

"That has nothing to do with me!" She yelled.

"It has everything to do with you! Princess of Tohomiko. The next heir to the throne has guts to come here and for what? Get this sector in more trouble for something we haven't done?" He yelled. Kimiko looked confused at first.

"You mean you never took the prince?" She asked calmly. Rai calmed slightly.

"I don't know what happened to prince. He hasn't been here but no one believes us. Now if they find you missing, they will come after us thinking we took you too!" He yelled.

"Well what you do not understand is that if I go back you all die." She said as solid as she could. The area went quiet with a few whispers every so often.

"So you're trying to threaten me now?" He asked as he tried to turn.

"I was supposed to be married!" She yelled. Rai stopped in his place as his eyes went wide.

"I was supposed to be married to the prince of Young to combine our kingdoms. But, if that were to have happened, then He would have just used my Fathers lands to keep his nuclear weaponry. If he would have done that then he would have shot them right through sector 8 to get to the Pedrosa Palace to kill everything within range!" She shouted. Rai stood there looking to the ground trying to think. Nicki walked up slowly next to him.

"Rai, we can't let her go back." She said quietly. He looked at her then at John who stood there with his hand crossed still smirking. He then looked at Kimiko who stared at him with a solid face.

"Will they come after you?" He asked in a low voice.

"I left a message to my father saying I ran off to the either sectors 1 or 2. They are unaware of my location." She explained. Rai stuck his hand in his dirty pockets. As he kept thinking to himself.

Fine. You are allowed to stay." He said quietly. Kimiko couldn't help but to smile.

"But, on a few conditions." He said looking at her emotionless.

"If you live here, you work just like everyone else does. There is no special treatment for anyone. You will be up at dawn like everyone else and don't stop till the work is done. You will also get to stay with Nicki." He said with a smirk. Kimiko couldn't help but to admire his smile.

"Say what!" Nicki yelled.

"What? You brought her here so she is now your responsibility. Congratulations you get a new roommate." He said keeping his smirk.

"Hey! She's the one that wanted to come here."

"You could have left her but you decided to lead her here." He explained leaving Nicki a mute. Kimiko chuckled slightly.

"And one last thing." He said catching her attention.

"You are not allowed to contact anyone out of these walls. If anyone finds out you're here, it could lead to some major trouble. Are you willing to do that?" He asked. Kimiko thought for a few moments. What about Leah, Omi... Father. Her life she would have to give up to save these people. She looked up at the leader. What was it about him that seemed so familiar? She sighed. And smiled. She bowed to him.

"I agree to your terms sir." She said. She never bowed to anyone before but she knew she had to do something to gain more of his trust. She heard a slip as she looked up to see him take off his glove. He brought his hand down to her.

"Don't call me sir. Im not royalty. Here, everyone is equal." He explained. Kimiko was surprised by him. Moment earlier he was ready to kill her. But now..

She took hold of his hand that was warm and soft and brought her up to her feet. She soon felt her hand being repositioned to a shake position. She looked to see him smiling at her.

"Welcome to sector 8 princess." He said. Now, Kimiko was completely confused.

He soon released his hold as he started to walk away.

"Nicki, show her to your apartment." He said still walking off.

"And where the hell are you going!" She yelled irritated with the fact that she has to share a room with Kimiko.

"I got a headache. Im gonna lay down for a while." He explained.

"For some reason I think you use that excuse to get out of situations" She yelled.

"Now your catching on!" He yelled back still facing away from them. Nicki growled.

"One of these days Rai!" She yelled with her fist in the air.

"He's nice..." Kimiko said quietly. Nicki looked at her confused.

"What?" She asked.

"He's a nice person." Kimiko said with a smile.

"Funny for you to say that for the fact he had a knife to your throat." She said putting her hands on her hips.

"It's understandable. But I don't think he would have killed me. There is something about him…" She explained. Nicki shook her head as she grabbed Kimikos hand and lead to her towards the tower.

"Come on let me show you around." She explained. What the girls didn't realize was that Rai was standing behind one of the shacks leaning against the wall with his hands in his pockets. He kept his gaze to the ground. He suddenly felt a punch in his shoulder. Ready to attack, he paused to see it was John standing there smiling.

"Well what a show you put up there Rai" he said with a smirk.

"Yea..." he said quietly. John peeked over the side to watch the girls walk towards the tower.

"She has gotten big since the last time we saw her. How old was she? 8?" He asked.

"12." Rai said quietly still not looking at him. John scuffed a she leaned on the wall as well.

"You better watch yourself Rai. This is risky." He said.

"I know that John but what other choice do I got?" He said with annoyance.

"You could have sent her to the other sectors if you really wanted to." John explained. Rai stood there for a moment longer before he tried to walk off.

"How is your health Rai?" John asked. Rai froze in place.

"It's been fine." He said.

"Not from last night's episode." John said with a smirk. "This time you almost got caught too."

"I know that John!" Rai raised his voice.

"Hey no need to get so offensive. Im just saying you're the one who wants to no help but if you keep pushing yourself as much as you are, sooner or later…" John trailed off. Rai stuck his hand his hands in his pockets as he started to walk off.

"I wonder what the prince would say if he found out you had his princess!" John yelled with a smirk.

"Shut up Unit!" Rai yelled. John stood there for a moment longer before going off in the other direction.

As the girls got to the tower, Kimiko was amazed by the sight. They walked in and saw how busy it was. People were running around everywhere.

"What is this?" Kimiko asked.

"Well the first level is the medical. The second is communications and the third and fourth are the apartments for people like me, john, and Clay and a few others who contribute the most.

"But there are 5 levels are there not?" Kimiko asked.

"Yea but that level is strictly for Rai." She shrugged. Nicki lead her to the open elevator that was glass so you were able to see each level.

"How are you able to afford this?" Kimiko asked.

"To be honest, we stole pretty much everything. When you live in a sector where no one will help you out, you gotta do what you gotta do." Nicki explained. Kimiko was now starting to feel a bit greedy for she never had money issues. What ever she wanted was always given to her but now…

They made it to the 4th level of the tower. They began to walk down the hallway till they made it to a room that had 45D written on the door.

"Welcome to your new home for now princess." Nicki said as she opened the door. Kimiko walked in to be surprised by the looked. In there was a small living room and three other doors. Two lead to two separate rooms and one to the bathroom. To her side she saw a small kitchen that was insanely dirty. There were dishes in the sink that looked they haven't been cleaned in months.

"What an interesting design you have for your home." Kimiko commented trying to hide her disgust.

"Yea well I don't have time to play maid." Nicki explained. Nicki walked past the piles of dirty clothes that laid on the couch as she mad it to the far left door.

"This will be your room." Kimiko walked over to see a queen sized bed with messy sheets. It was a dark room for the heavy curtains covered the window.

"Did someone live here before?" Kimiko asked.

"Rai did for a while, but since we got the 5th level up he is mainly up there." Nicki explained. Kimiko nodded in understandment.

"Ok well just come back down after you explored the place." Nicki explained.

"May I use the shower?" Kimiko asked.

"Go ahead. You live here now." Nicki said as she walked out the door. Kimiko stood in the doorway of her bedroom for a moment then looked back at the dark curtain. She walked over and tore it down and was shocked to see the view. Within the distance she saw her old Kingdom. It was a perfect view with the sun shining over the horizon. She saw as the room lit up to show how much more dirty it really was.

"This defidently shows a man lived here." Kimiko said in disgust as she began to clean up.

Back at the Kingdom of Tohomiko, the whole home was insane. Servants and guards ran around like wild animals calling for the princess. Torshiro stormed out of the bedroom with a letter in hand. He went into the conference where Chase sat there drinking some tea.

"Why hello Torshiro, why are we so angry today?" He asked. Torshiro threw down a letter onto the table next to chase.

"This is why." Torshiro said. Chase grinned as he picked up the letter and pretended to read it.

"Why, it's a letter from sector 8's leader saying he has stolen the princess." Chase with shock.

"Yes. I guess killing the prince wasn't enough for those mutts now they have came and taken my daughter!" Torshiro yelled.

"I am sending an army into that bloody sector!" He yelled. He turned and tried to walk out of the door but Chase was quicker and shut it before he could.  
>"Now Torshiro lets think of this. If we send an army in there so soon, they will panic and hide the body and give us royals a bad name. I don't think they're gonna kill her off so soon. We have time to plan this out before anything even happens. Do you understand me?" Chase said. Torshiro stood there for a moment shaking slightly as the thought of his daughter was taken.<p>

"But Kimiko..."

"Will be fine for now. This leader has a couple of secrets and weaknesses that I am fully aware of. I will bring the princess home safe and sound. Just give me a little of time." Chase said as he opened and walked out.  
>"But Chase! What secrets are you aware of?" Torshiro asked.<p>

"No need to worry my majesty! Everything will be worked out in the end." Chase said with a smirk. He continued to walk down the hall leaving the king in complete confusion.

"Well Rai are you ready to play another game?" Chase said silently to himself as He walked out the doors of the kingdom plotting his game.


	6. Horses

Hey everyone, I know my updating has been slow, Please forgive me and enjoy!

Kimiko stretched feeling her hands underneath the pillows. They were soft. She thought she was going to wake up in her large silk bed. She opened her eyes to see the top of the old, cracked ceiling. Reality hit her. She was in sector 8, rooming with a girl named Nicki, sleeping in the leaders old room. Kimiko was curious why he stayed with her anyways. She yawned as she stretched out her arm to feel something cold. She took hold of it and saw it was a pocket watch. Kimiko sat up surprised by it. It was complete gold wit a flower engraved on the front. She clicked the topped and opened it to show a clock and on the lid was a photo. It was a woman. The picture was black and white. Her hair was long and dark and she wore a light colored dress. She was beautiful. Before Kimiko could observe it more, her door flung right open. She yelps as she jumped backwards on her bed. Nicki stood there holding up a pair of dirty old black converse.

"Got you some shoes!" She yelled. She threw the shoes onto the bed. Kimiko quickly put the watch into her back pocket for she was still wearing the clothes from yesterday.

"Ready to work princess?" She asked leaning against the doorway. Kimiko looked at her confused.

"What about breakfast?" She asked. She is so use to breakfast being given to her and usually in bed.

"Well, we gotta go get it." Nicki said as she turned around and walked out. Kimiko jumped up quick and brushed her hair out with her fingers as she followed Nicki out the door.

They walked through the sector to a small building with a line going out the door.

"What is this place?" Kimiko asked.

"This is where everyone gets there food. Im in charge of the food supply. Since we don't have any land to farm like the other sector, and no one will trade anything with us, we have to steal food and give it to everyone equally. We mainly only give out breakfast and dinner. Lunch is hard to get." Nicki explained as they walked through the back. Kimiko saw the large bags and boxes filled with various of foods. They weren't large expensive foods, but they were small things like bread and beans and such. She walked with Nicki through some doors to the main room which looked just like a soup kitchen. Kimiko looked to see that most of sector 8 was waiting to get their fill. Kimiko flinched as she felt Nicki putting her hair up in a bun.

"Alright princess. This job isn't hard. All ya gotta do is fill the plate and give it to the person. Got it?" Nicki explained. Kimiko nodded in reply and they began their day.

After 2 and half hours, Kimiko wiped the sweat from the top of her head. She looked at Nicki who was doing it like a pro.

"How can you do this everyday?" Kimiko asked. Nicki looked at her for a second then pointed into the line. Kimiko looked to see a small little girl with her hair up in two pigtails and wearing a raggy old dress. She was holding a little stuffed bunny close. Kimiko looked back at Nicki.

"They give you a reason to keep going." Nicki stated as she went back to work. Kimiko looked out to see men with guns and horses going out the large gate.

"Where are they going?" She asked.

"Probably out to another battle." Nicki responded. Kimiko looked to see the tower through a window.

"And why isn't your leader going?" Kimiko said with a bit more slur then intended.

"Hmm, he is probably still sleeping." She said. Kimiko threw down her spoon.

"Now what kind of leader sleeps in till almost noon!" She yelled. The room went silent. Nicki gave a nervous laugh as she took Kimiko into the back.

"Ok would you mind not having a breakdown in the room with everyone in it!" Nicki yelled.

"Well what kind of leader sleeps in and lets everyone else take on all the duties! He should be leading that party into battle!" Kimiko yelled.

"He's sick." Nicki simply said. Kimiko looked at her funny.

"What do you mean by sick?"

"Look, I get what you mean. At first I wondered why he wouldn't show his face till after 1. At first I thought it was because he was lazy because he is. But, I learned just the other night it's because he is really sick." She explained.

"Well if he truly that ill then you must be able to get him to a doctor." Kimiko said.

"Closest doctor there is in sector 5 and he isn't going to do. Just do him a favor and stay out of it." She snapped as she went back to the main room with the others. Kimiko's anger boiled as she ran the other direction running as far as she could out of sector 8.

She found herself in a far out meadow on the outskirts of the sector. She sighed as she looked beyond to see just parts of the Tohomiko Palace. She wondered if her father missed her and she wondered how Chase took the news of her leaving.

She flinched as she heard the noise of a horse. She followed the sound to the bottom of the hill to see two horses in a coral. She walked down as she took a closer look at the horses. One was brown with black spots. It seems to be a male and had long black hair. It was large enough that Kimiko had to look up. She walked up to him slowly with caution to make sure it wouldn't bite her. In complete opposite, he gave her a nudge. She smiled as she looked at the other horse. It was white with black spots. It seemed more feminine. Kimiko held out her hand to her to see the horse resting her head on her hand. Before Kimiko could continue petting the horses, she heard someone behind her.

"Strange, she usually attacks who ever comes near." Said a voice. Kimiko shrieked as she picked up a horse shoe and chucked it behind her. She looked quick enough to see she through it at Rai who caught it with one swift movement and took a spin around before facing her.

"Geez princess, aren't we a bit jumpy." He said with a smirk as he spinned the shoe in his hand.

"Well maybe some people shouldn't be sneaking up on others." She said as she turned back around. Rai smirked as he walked beside.

"Well maybe some people shouldnt be attacking other people's animals." He said as he went by the white horse.

"I most certainly was not attacking the horses! Are they yours?" she asked irritated by the "Attacking" Comment.

"Yeah. I took them with me when I left the palace." He said. Kimiko looked at him with confusion. Rai looked at her and sighed.

"I was a service boy in the Pedrosa Palace." He explained.

"That would make sense because of your eye color." She said as she walked over to the white horse next to him.

"You stole these horses?" She asked.

"Yea. This one is still pretty mad at me for taking her away." He smirked as he tried to pet her but she quickly pulled away.

"And what would be her name?" Kimiko smiled as she petted the top of her head.

"This one is Snow White. A perfect beauty. The worst of attitude." He said.

"But Snow White was kind was she not?" She asked.

"Yea. To others." He said as he went to the other horse.

"And what about him?" She asked.

"This here is max." he said with a smirk.

"I'm curious to know why you stole these horses." Kimiko stated.

"There mine. I took care of them so I take ownership." He shot back as he filled up the food barrels. He looked up to Kimiko.

"And what are you doing out here?" He asked.

"I just needed some fresh air. More like what are you doing out here." She said.

"What are you talking about?"

You are sick are you not?" Rai paused and looked at her strangely.

"Who told you that?" He asked. Kimiko could see it on his face that he started to become irritated. Kimiko looked at him with confidence.

"Does not matter who has told me. All I am aware of is that you are not in any good health." She stated. Rai made a tsk noise as he threw the shoe to Kimiko.

"Mind not listening to that little brat named Nicki." He said with a smirk as he placed his hands in his hips.

"Well that's an awful thing to say about your beloved!" Kimiko snapped.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Rai said with confusion. Kimiko calmed as she gave the same look.

"You were not together with Nicki?"

"No that's sick!" He said giving a shiver.

"Then why did you share an apartment with her?" She asked.

"You do realize that her brother lived with her too and he's my best friend right?" He said. Kimiko flushed in embarrassment.

"I do apologize for my mistake." She said with a nervous chuckle.

"It's fine. I just see her for my little sister more then that. She is way too young for me." He stated.

"How old is she?" She asked.

"15" Kimiko's face dropped.

"You are kidding right?" She asked. Rai smirked.

"I know, she looks a lot older." He stated as he continued walking. Kimiko began to follow him from behind.

They continued to walk back to sector 8 and Kimiko cleared her throat.

"Excuse me Rai." She started.

"Yea." He said still walking not looking at her.

"You said you were a service boy for the Pedrosa palace right?"

"Yea?"

"Did you know the prince? Was he amazing like everyone says he was?" Rai stopped and looked back at her.

"He was a greedy child with no respect." Rai said coldly. Kimiko was confused. She was told what a sweet boy he was. She guessed from a different view that wasn't a royal, the personality seemed different. Kimiko looked at him and smiled.

"Oh he couldn't be that bad. He was only 8 years old when he had disappeared."

"That little bastard wrecked my life and what ever he got he deserved." Rai said coldly as he walked away. Kimiko stood there for a moment in silence. She watched as Sector 8's leader walked away. She wondered what he meant. How could a child ruin his life? Kimiko needed to know what happened.


	7. Silk

Hey guys! I know I haven't been around for a while but I'm working now so its kinda hard to keep up with anything :P Anyways please enjoy!

Its been only two weeks since the princess began to live in sector 8. She sat in the small living room of her apartment. She spent a good amount of her time cleaning up the run down living space to bring some life to it. It was very difficult for the apartment itself was so poorly made. She sat on the couch that was old and filled with dust but didn't pay too much attention to it. She leaned back thinking quietly to herself.

"What an impulsive jerk." She whispered. She thought of what had happened earlier this morning.

Flashback.

Kimiko and Nikki walked to the kitchen ready to serve the hungry residents of the sector. Unfortunately for Kimiko, she was still not use to working in the kitchen. Living a lifestyle where you food is properly made for you everyday without a second thought, it made cooking very difficult. Nikki was very lennient with her. She didn't make too much of a fuss when she messed up on a few things, but groaned every so often to show her irritation. Of course, the overpowering Rai walked in to see how things were and watched as Kimiko stumbled when she cleaned the dishes and put the food in the wrong spots. When Kimiko dropped all the dishes, they shattered instantly and she groaned to herself as she looked up at the ceiling.

Kimiko went to begin picking up the shattered pieces but quickly retreated as she saw Rai bend down and begin to pick them up.

"If I knew you were going to be this useless I would have reconsidered." He mumbled roughly not making eye contact with her. Kimiko felt her anger building quickly as she groaned and walked the other way.

End Flashback.

She sat there fiddling with the loose threads from the couch and she slowly sighed.

"I apologize if I am unaware of specific duties. I have talent, just not what your trying to make me do. Do not just state I am useless you jerk." She grumbled to herself as she pulled out the pocket watch and opened it to show the young woman again.

" I wonder if he was ever rude to such a beauty as you." She said sadly as she put it back in her pocket. She sat there for a few moment longer pondering her thoughts quietly to herself.

"but, I understand you Rai. I am not strong like Clay is, or Cunning like Nikki. But, I will prove you wrong and show you I am NOT useless." She growled gripping the couch tightly. She closed her eyes thinking back when she lived in the castle and how simple everything seemed so simple but now...

"Hey get up Princess!" Screamed a voice when the door slammed open. Kimiko jolted and fell on the floor.

"Geez Nikki! I could have gotten a heart attack!" Kimiko yelled gripping at her chest tightly. Nikki chuckled but quickly stopped.

"Oh, I almost forgot why I came." She staggared through her side bag that was brown leather. She pulled out a bag and handed it to me. I began to open the very neat tight bag.

"I know its not perfect but I cleaned it up as best as I could for ya." She said scratching the back of her head. I opened it completely to see it was my silk dress I came her with. It was pretty out washed now and you were able to see clearly the wholes in it. But, it smelt fresh.

"Did you clean my silk?" Kimiko asked. Nikki snorted.

" hey you know its pretty expensive and you decided to neglect so I just thought Id help ya out a bit." She retorted. Kimiko smiled as she stood up and gave Nikki a large hug.

"Thank you Nikki." She said simply. Nikki stood there oddly confused.

"Ugh its no biggy really. Just remember you cant replace that. Its so rare to have silk in the sectors." Kimiko let go of her hold of Nikki and looked at her.

"How much is Silk worth in the sectors?" She asked.

"Well it all just depends on what sector you sell it to. Sell it to sector 5 or above and your talking about enough food and money to supply a whole sector for months." Nikki explained. Kimiko had it! She knew how she was gonna show Rai she was useful. It was with the only thing she knew she was good at. Shopping.

"Where's Rai?" Kimiko asked quickly.

"Last time I checked, he was down at the square with the kids." She said. But soon enough, Kimiko was dashing down the hall to catch the elevator to make it outside.

When she did, she sprinted all the way down till she made it to the square. She was out of breath not used to running so fast in skinny jeans. She looked out to see Rai playing what looked to be tag with the kids. Kimiko became confused. Was this really the same man that has screamed in her face? Threatened to kill her? Put a knife to her neck? He seemed so gentle. Patient. Fun. Kimiko walked up slowly as she caught Rai's eyes. He stopped his horse play and watched her. All the kids stopped as well. Kimiko watched as a little girl walked up to her and bowed in front of her. Kimiko was actually quite shocked that she did that.

"Dear there is no need to bow to me." She said sweetly. The little girl looked up at her and smiled.

"I was taught to show my respect to the royal family." She said. In the honest truth, that confused Kimiko more then anything. She could have sworn that these people hated Royals. Then, why was this little girl showing her respect? Rai soon came between them and looked at Kimiko with cold eyes. He shifted his eyes to the little girl.

"She isn't a Royal. She is everyone else." He said. The little girl nodded and went back to playing with all the other kids. He soon turned back to face her.

"So whats up princess?" He said crossing his arms. She gave him a scowl from saying she wasn't royalty. Well...she wasn't...at least anymore. She blew off and put up a large smile on her face. She quickly grabbed his arm and started to run out into the direction of the warehouse where they kept the motorcycles and tanks.

"What the hell let go!" He yelled trying to keep up with her pace.

"Just shush up would ya?" She called back still running straight.

"This is kidnapping!" He yelled catching people's attention.

"You are older then I now would be quiet?" She yelled back.

"Where are we going?" He yelled.

"Shut up!"

A few moment later she stopped them at the entrance of the warehouse. After catching his breath he looked up to see where they were and looked at her with a confused look.

"Why are we here?" He asked.

"You said I was useless." She said not facing him and ignoring his question. He winced in shock when she said that.

"And in the end you are probably right. I have lived in a world outside of the world. I don't know how to fight. I cant build. I barely clean." She faced him smiling. "It must be difficult to have to deal with someone with nothing to uphold." Rai looked at her with an open jaw.

"Look, I didn't mean what I said I was just-"

"No you were right. But, I want to help in any way I can. So," She pulled out her silk and showed it to him. His jaw dropped completely.

"That's-"  
>"Silk. The best of the best. Whats funny is that I have never seen any value in this for I have closest filled with silk. But, this simple dress is enough to help so many.." She looked down at it with sorrow.<p>

"If your thinking about selling it, no one in sector 8 will have enough money to buy it from you." He said simply.

"Oh, I don't plan on selling it in sector 8. I was thinking more of sector 4." She smiled slyly.

"Are you nuts! They see you and they will report you immediately!" He yelled.

"Then Ill desguise myself. Come with me. I need a navigator." She smirked.

"No way." He said crossing his arms.

"And why not!" She yelled.

"If you haven't noticed I'm a wanted man and if I'm caught, sector 8 will be no more." He said.

"But, how will they know its you? The only time I have seen you was with a mask on. The world knows nothing of what you look like. Just go like a normal person." She said. There was something in Rai's eyes that was bothering her slightly.

"I don't know..." He said quietly. Kimiko walked up to him putting the silk in between them.

"Please Rai, its the only way I can think of right now that can help you in any way." She said. Rai looked down at her and her large blue eyes. He felt his heart cringe.

"Fine..." he said quietly and suddenly felt arms wrap around his neck.

"Thank you Rai! I promise you, you will not regret this!" She yelled. She let go and saw him with a sad smile. He sighed and shook off any sign of emotion and took out a pair of keys from his pocket. He smirked and looked at her.

"Fine, I'm driving." 

They walked into the warehouse and Kimiko looked to see all the auto motives they had. Ranging from cars to bikes to tanks. She was in complete awe. How can such a poor sector afford so much. There were stolen. Kimiko's face dropped from surprised to completely irritated she didn't see it the first time.

"Aye, who's in here?" Yelled a voice from underneath one of the large hummers.

"Dojo get out here." Rai said banging on the top of the hummer. A man pulled out wearing a large green jumpsuit and had large black beady eyes and blonde shaggy hair.

"Hey you gotta be so mean to my cars?" He said leaning up against the hummer.

"Dojo, this is Kimiko. Kimiko, this is our Mechanic, Dojo." Rai introduced.

"Nice to meet you." She said sweetly.  
>"Hey kid, Now Rai I got a problem." Completely ignoring her.<p>

"And what would that be? Rai responded.

"Well our pretty Betty over here has a messed up engine. The rudders just totally collapsed you cant even turn it on now." He explained.

"Well cant you fix it?" This is down to our last hummer." Rai said.

"I need to replace things Rai, There are parts in these that are totally just destroyed." He said. Rai threw his head back and groaned.

"Looks like im heading back to Spicers Court when I get back from sector 4." Kimiko turned to him in shock.

"Your gonna steal?" She exclaimed.

"How do you think we got all this. Spicers make the best stuff and that's where we get all of our equipment." He explained.

"I don't know Rai, They bumped up their security since there with Young now. Also, didn't they almost catch you last time?" Dojo pointed out.

"Details details." Rai waved. Kimiko thought for a moment.

"Why don't we just go by a new hummer?" Kimiko asked. Rai looked at her confused.

"Well we have enough silk to have enough food for months. Theres gotta be enough to buy some parts you need." She explained.

"Kim, that silk isn't cover all the parts we need.' He said. She thought for another second and smiled. She pulled out the pocket watch from earlier.

"What about this. Its pure gold. I know its not mine but it could get that parts alone." She said handing him the locket. He opened it to see that woman's photo and sadness went through his eyes. He shut it tight and put it in his pocket.

"Fine..Dojo give us the list of the parts and well go buy them." He said.

"Woohooo! New parts! I cant wait!" He yelled trying to find a pen and paper to write down the list. Kimiko looked up at Rai with his blank expression.

"Rai, Who's the woman in the photo?" She asked. He lifted his head and sighed.

"Someone I use to know." He said. And that was the end of that conversation. Soon enough we got the list and we were off on the bike driving up to sector 4.


	8. Ticking Time

Hey guys! I know! Haven't updated in forever! I am so sorry!High school sucks :P Anyways This is the longest chapter i've done so I hope you guys enjoy! Please remember to review! :D

The summer wind blew in quickly threw the small town of Sector 4. Sector 4 was one of smallest sectors of the 12. It was small in population but large in currency. People all over the Shun country would come to sector 4 to sell their items for better profit then you would anywhere else. Here, also lies thieves. Hundreds of men will run through this sector and ransack every shop there is for the best products. Sector 4 is the most successful yet dangerous sector of the 12.

In the distance of the crowded streets, were two figures. Here, Kimiko and Rai stood in front of the pawn man who would take their silk and gold watch for money. The old scruffy man looked specifically at the watch with it up close to his eye. Giving a small gruff sound, he looked over at Rai who stood there with a dark jacket and sunglasses on with his arms folded.

"500." The old man croaked out.

"Bull shit." Rai replied. Kimiko looked up at him with a scowl. She wore a dirty head cover rag and a long ragged robe around her. She was also wearing glasses which she didn't understand why. She looked around to see the majority of the people to be foreigners with blue eyes. She didn't understand completely why she had to hide anyway. Rai especially. Rai was known as the bandit of the shadows who is leader of the murderous rebels who wish to go against the royal family by taking out each family member that wear a black mask to only expose his green eyes that matched no other. While her on the other hand, her reason being that no one in this area shouldn't even know what she looks like because sector 8 belonged to the Spicer Court. Spicer Court was a small family but was strangely strong. The only true leader was the son the deceased king, Jack Spicer and to be queen Ashley. But, what was odd is that all of his men were robots created from his lab that he did himself. Large machines too. About the size of an average man. They terrorize the people living in the sectors and force them to give them money. Kimiko hated the fact that the kingdoms forced the people to relinquish more money to them then they already had. Kimiko's thoughts here interrupted by the sound of the two men arguing over the gold.

"Fake gold will never get you anywhere." The old man retorted.

"Fake? Sir I'll have you know this was personally made by Dojo." Rai said with a cocky smirk. The old man squinted his eyes at the younger man and hummed to himself.

"You do not look like a man to have such relations with royalty to get someone like that to make something like this!" He spoke. Rai took the watch back quickly and opened up the watch, took the woman s picture out quickly enough and stuffed it in his dirty pocket. Kimiko noticed the haste he had to hide the photo. She watched as he stuffed it back in his face. The man looked closely at watch and his eyes went wide as he looked at Rai with his eyes with surprise.

"How did you-" He began but was quickly enough to be cut off.

"Now I really don't think it matters how I got it but what I think what does matter is that its a pretty expensive little thing now isn't it? So how about we make a 'proper' deal for this little thing huh?" Rai said putting his hand on his hip. The old man shook his head slightly in understanding. He took another long look at the watch that it seemed like he was going to start drooling soon enough. He looked back up and made it offer.

"10 grand." He stated simply. Kimiko loosened her jaw slightly to allow her lips to separate just slightly enough to show shock.

"20." Rai rebutted. The old man laughed sarcastically.

"Now now boy, I know how great Dojo is with his work, but, a traitors work only holds so much value. Also I believe 10 will be good enough for a thieving punk such as yourself." The man cooed. Kimiko felt her frustration. To her ten thousand dollars wouldn't really get you anything. Food for a lifetime maybe, but, for all the parts they need to collect by the end of the day, that amount will never do. She heard Rai give out a small chuckle.

"Well you see," Kimiko's eyes went wide as she saw him pull out a hand gun from behind him and pulled the old mans face down over the counter and shoved the head of the gun under his chin. The old man yelped in shock and began to shake in terror as the cold metal was being pressured in his chin he could feel it on his tongue.

"Now sir I hope you understand that your offer is useless to me unless you make it bigger. I'll give you a deal, you give me the twenty thousand and ill spare you your life. Are we clear on that? And hey think of it this way. I'm giving you a deal. I paid almost fifty thousand for that little thing so consider yourself lucky to even be able to touch something so valuable." Rai whispered harshly. Kimiko stood there in absolute shock. She had completely forgotten how violent Rai was at some points. She looked back when she first came to sector 8 and how he put the knife to her neck. She gulped as she kept her distance. She looked to see the older man opening his mouth to say something.

"You'll never get away with this. The soldiers are wondering all around this place. They'll see you doing this.." He struggled out as the gun was pushed closer to his chin. Rai smirked as he took off his glasses and looked at the man. The old man was flushed of all the color in his face as he looked at Rai. His lower lip started to quiver as his knees began to shake from underneath the table.

"Y-Y-Your.." The old man could barely pull out. He was choking on his own words quickly and shut his mouth. Rai placed his glasses back over his eyes.

"Now, about my money?" Rai switched the conversation as he put his gun away and let go of the man watching him stumble back against his safe. He gave out a whimper before turning behind him and unlocking the safe. Fifty thousand for the watch and an extra twenty thousand for the silk.

Rai gave a friendly wave to the still terrified man and walked away with Kimiko. Kimiko was petrified for a moment before a wave of anger went threw her system. She took hold of Rai's arm and shoved him inside the closest ally where his body bashed against one of the walls.

"Well that wasn't nice..." He grumbled feeling his now bruised head.

"What in bloody hell were you thinking? Pulling a gun out on someone? Are you mad!" She screamed.

"Keep your voice down! Do you want the whole world to know?" He shot back.

"That man will go the king for that action that you took! You will be set with more trouble then you already have!" She yelled.

"He's not gonna say anything." He said calmly. Kimiko shook her head in disbelief.

"How can you be calm? He knows your face Rai!" She yelled. Before she continue, she felt a hand being placed over her mouth.

"Damn you're loud. Just be quiet for a second." He said. Kimiko growled but soon gave up her acted and relaxed, still not letting go of her scowl she had against the tall man.

"Now look, he knows who I am and that's why I'm confident he will keep quiet." He said playfully.

"He wont! You just threatened his life Rai!" She bursted.

"Didn't I say stay quiet?" He said scratching the back of his head. He smirked at her. Kimiko felt her anger growing to a new height. She went calm when she saw the sack of money being thrown in her direction.

"You hold onto it. I'm not good at keeping anything on me." He stated bluntly as he started to walk out of the alley way with Kimiko hot on his heels. They didn't even step 5 feet out of the alley before Rai stopped suddenly.

"They're they are!" They saw the old man pointing at them. He was surrounded my 4 robots that were large and brown. They were floating in thin air as they turned to see Rai and Kimiko.

"So maybe he did tell." Rai said with a chuckle.

"Stop!" one of the larger robots yelled as they all started to float their way. Kimiko gasped as she knew they were caught.

"That Idiotic Rai!" She thought as she gripped her hands into fists trying to find a way out of this now annoying mess. But, soon enough her hand was grabbed by a larger one and was being pulled in the other direction.

"What do you think your doing?" She yelped as she was being dragged down the alley, dodging every corner.

"Saving our butts!" He yelled. Kimiko saw as he was pulling something out of his shirt. She gasped as she saw it was his black mask.

"Don't be putting that on here! People will see you!" She yelled.

"So? I need to!" He retorted.

"But the man already saw you! It doesn't matter whether you put it on or not! So don't put it on and bring more attention!" Kimiko screamed having a hard time keeping up with his steps. She looked down at their footing and couldn't help but notice his steps. It looked like he was barely even touching the ground.

"That old coot isn't gonna remember a thing about me by the time night falls. I would rather people see the bots chasing me in the mask then not." He explained. Kimiko didn't complain. As they continue to run down the city streets, Kimiko saw they were attracting a lot of attention. Women screamed and hid their children and men holler and started to throw various objects at them. Kimiko felt frustrated that they weren't getting anywhere. She could tell that Rai was sensing her frustration and did something she didn't expect was going to happen. A sudden stop made her stumble slightly as she felt him bend down and pick her up in a bridal position.

"What do you think your doing!" She shrieked as she started to kick her legs around. She felt Rai chuckle slightly as he started to run again.

"Now, I'm gonna ask you nicely now to stay calm for a few seconds O.K?" He asked. Kimiko stared at him with complete shock till she felt their bodies leave the ground. She watched as he was jumping from the ground to the wall and pushed himself on top of the smaller building's roofs. She clutched desperately to his shirt as he started running, jumping from roof to roof.

"We gotta go a little higher..." He mumbled. Kimiko looked ahead to see a taller building.

"Rai stop! You will have us both killed!" She yelled. He came with no reply as they continued at full speed down the rows of roofs to the taller one. In one swift movement, They were in the air heading to the next building. Kimiko shrieked as she closed her eyes tight not noticing the looks that the people were giving them. Her grip on his shirt was tight and she didn't want to let go. Whether she would admit it or not, she felt safe in his arms. It was comforting and warm. Something was off though. About his hold. She listened to barely even hear his heart beat.

She cracked her eyes open slowly as she saw she was on one of the taller buildings. She looked up to see Rai standing there smirking at himself. Kimiko felt a wave of relief to know that they were both still alive and breathing but soon a wave of anger shot through her veins. She growled as she quickly pulled one of her arms back and swiftly enough punch Rai straight in the stomach. He groaned as he let her go.

"That hurt..." He grumbled. Kimiko straightened herself out and huffed.

"Would you be so kind to explain to me what goes through your head when were jumping off rooftops! How are you able to do that?" She yelled. Rai stood up straight ridding his teeth from the pain in his stomach.

"Instinct?" He pulled out. Kimiko bent down and took off one of her shoes and swiftly chucked it at his head.

"What the hell! Why do you keep hitting me!" He whined.

"That was most certainly not instinct! That was dangerous and could have killed us both!" She argued. Rai took a second and took off his mask and smiled. Kimiko felt her face heat up slightly. He was perfect. His tan skin, humble smile, soft green eyes. His eyes always caught her attention. They were a different shade of green then anyone else s she has ever seen. Darker. Kimiko caught herself and quickly looked down.

"Never mind that! How are we suppose to handle our new situation?" Kimiko said avoiding eye contact. She glanced over slightly to see Rai taking a seat on the ground.

"We wait. Till they think we've left completely and well go get the parts and hummers and well head on home. No biggy really." He said it so bluntly.

"What if they find us?" She retorted.

"They wont. We are on one of the tallest buildings. We'll be fine." He said trying to reassure her. Kimiko looked out one last time over the horizon to see the sun starting to set. An hour and a half it took to get to sector 4. And hour and a half to get back. Sun down in a couple of hours. She was going to spend the night on the roof with one of the strangest guys she has ever met.

The sun was gone now and they were staring up at the sky laying side by side with each other. Silence was their friend for a while for neither wanted to spark up a conversation. Kimiko continued to look up at the empty sky. She loved looking at the sky. It felt peaceful. A farther abyss that was never been explored farther then the moon. At least in her text books that what they say. She wonders what it would be like to live in the 20th century here where it was once known as the "United States." She knew nothing of the times past the year 2024. Now being 2043, it was hard to keep up with anything. She thought of a conversation.

"Hey Rai?" she spoke quietly.

"Hmm?" simply came. He was facing the other direction.

"Do you know anything of the 19th century? And the United States?" she asked sweetly.

"Yeah?" he replied with the hint of obvious in it.

"What was it like?"She asked. She didn't expect Rai to sit up so quickly and look at her with doubt.

"You're kidding right?" He asked. Kimiko simply shook her head.

"I thought they teach that crap in your private lessons?" He asked.

"Well, I was taught what countries there were but other then that no not really." She admitted.

"You do realize it hasn't been that long since we were turned back to a Monarchy right?" He asked. He prompt himself on his elbows and looked at her.

"Monarchy?" Kimiko asked.

"Your father is a king and you don't know what a Monarchy is?" He looked at her hoping she was just joking.

"Well no need to be so rude." She pouted.

"I'm not trying to be. It just really surprises me really."

"Well can you explain to me please? What am I missing?" She asked. Rai took a second and looked back up to the sky. He smiled.

"Back in the older times, most areas were ruled by Monarchies, which is where a king and queen are in charge. Soon, when the new world came to play, The United States, Something new came in called a Democracy where power is determined by the people. Everyone has a chance to govern as a whole not just one. Shun Country was like that for a long time. Then, the houses of Dashi, Pedrosa, and Tohomiko came from different parts of the world and declared war for a Monarchy. The house of Dashi was from China, Pedrosa was from Brazil, and Tohomiko was from Japan." He pointed at her.

"Japan.." She thought for a moment.

"Japan is now the grounds for the foreign prisons." He explained. Kimiko nodded in understanding.

"So anyways, The house got what they wanted and took over all of the western Hemisphere. Soon enough houses of Young and Spicer came into play and the old continents were separated into 7 different countries. Shun, Koi, Daylo, Shunsui, Shireo, Keisdo, and Veilo. All equally separated for each house since the year of 2013. Ever since then, the world has been separated by sectors, areas, and districts. As you should be aware, sectors are living quarters for everyone around the world. Mostly in Shun Country. Areas are for special use, such as Military for each house or prisons for each sector, then you have districts where foreigners live. Ones who didn't agree with the way that the houses were running things in the world. There I gave you a history lesson." Rai smirked as he laid down folding his arms behind his head. Kimiko blinked at him.

"How did you know so much about the past years so vividly?" She asked. His smiled disappeared suddenly. He looked up at the sky once again.

"I study a lot about because I thought it was such a good idea what they had back in that time. A democracy. Ever since I was a child, I just wanted everyone to be treated equal. So many amazing things happened in that era its absolutely breath taking. To see the things that were there. The amusement parks, monuments, museums, all of it...To see it all." He drifted off slightly. Kimiko watched him in awe. She never realized how deep he can be. How much he can truly love something so passionately.

"I hate this living.." he mummered. Kimiko looked at him with confused eyes.

"What do you mean? You all seem so happy I mean-" She was cut off.

"We seem from the outside so happy and cheerful when at night a mother falls asleep crying because she couldn't feed her kids today. A father puts himself in despair because he watched as his child was mugged for the small amount of money he had in his pocket. In this world, there is only humans, no humanity. That's why I choose to live in sector 8 and serve for the people there. Because there, we care for each other. We help each other. Were a family. That's why most people wont try and leave because even though the rest of the world sees us as outcast, we accept everything about us. We are the last bit of humanity." He stated. Kimiko was honestly surprised by the response. She believed he was only doing it for sector 8 because he had no choice in the matter, but, its his true home. She smiled. She closed her eyes for a moment thinking about how happy she was when her mother was alive and how safe she was when her mother held her tight. She missed her. And she wondered if Rai missed his family. His real family.

She heard a click and looked to see Rai looking at the watch at the time.

"Geez its late." He said bluntly. Kimiko yelped.

"Rai you were suppose to give that to the elder!" She barked. He snorted as he pulled out the picture and put it back in the watch.

"That grubby old man doesn't deserve something like this." He shrugged. Kimiko saw the picture. That beautiful woman in the watch. Kimiko couldn't help but feel a type a twinge in her. She couldn't help it.

"Could you tell me who she is now?" She asked. She quickly covered her mouth after the words already escaped her mouth. He looked at her and shrugged.

"Someone I use to know. I already told you that." Kimiko shook her head.

"If she was just someone you use to know, you wouldn't be so protective over the picture then." She stated bluntly. Rai gave a dry chuckle.

"I guess your right..." He admitted. He looked at the picture for a little longer before taking it out and ripping it in half. He kept the two pieces in the air and allowed the wind to take them away. Kimiko couldn't help but have her mouth open. Something about Rai is going to keep bothering her. His past. His present, and even his future cringes at her bones. He seemed so perfect so right, but, she felt the same uneasiness, the clamping feeling she got in the pit of her stomach. What was he hiding?

She took another look at the watch and something popped into her head.

"Who did you say made that watch for you again?" Rai looked at her and looked up as he thought.

"Dojo did." He said bluntly.

"The mechanic?"

"Yeah." He said.

"I didn't know he made jewelry." Kimiko admitted.

"Well, he was the royal jeweler in the Pedrosa palace and realized he hated what he was doing and enjoyed putting things together. So, when the prince went missing, him and I escaped with John and Nikki. Then, we all ended up in sector 8." He said.

"John and Nikki?" Kimiko said in surprise.

"Yeah. We were all service kids. Well, Nikki was still a baby. Their mother abandoned them there. John was left to take care of her and I helped. We've been friends ever sense." Kimiko smiled at the thought that even after everything, he still had at least one good friend on his side. Kimiko looked down then back at him.

"Rai, how did the prince ruin your life?" She saw him stiffen. He clenched his jaw tight and looked up.

"He made some bad choices. That affected a lot more then he thought would. It's an endless cycle when living in a world when your worth less then the family pet. It's a struggle no matter what. I just find it so much easier to blame it on him. Someone who doesn't exists." He said quietly. Kimiko flinched slightly at the last comment. The prince not existing? Not possible.

Rai groaned as he turned around to face the other direction.

"Night Kim. Well get the parts tomorrow and head on back." He stated. Kimiko gave a small noise in returned and laid the opposite side staring down at the ground thinking hard about all the decisions she has ever made over the years.

The clock struck midnight in the large conference room of the home of Tohomiko. The king paced himself back and forth around the large table. Frustrated. He was given news of his daughter being spotted in sector 4 with non other then sector 8's leader. He rubbed his temples and groaned in frustration. A soft knock at the door didn't even bother for him to lift his head.

"Yes Chase?" he said. Opening the door was the prince of Young. Chase stood there with a grimace of a smile on his face.

"I heard the news sir. I am truly sorry sir about your situation." Chase said out as sincere as possible.

"A month. A month she has been gone and she has been with, with a dog!" He yelled throwing the piles of paper off the table.

"Now calm yourself sir. I don't think its like that. Your daughter respects herself too much for something like that. He could be forcing her to stay with him and nothing more." Chase countered. The king looked at him and sighed. "I don't know what else to do.." He admitted. Chase placed a hand on his shoulder and smiled.

"Don t worry now sir, I have everything under control. I have some plans for that mongrel so no need to worry no more, so please sir, head to bed." With that, The king took off to his bedroom. Chase stood there for a moment longer.

"You may think you have check, but Ill be the one who will have the check mate. Raimundo."


	9. Confession of a Dead Man

Hello everyone! My has it been a while! Im sorry you guys for the delay. Work and school eat my time and I promise to try and update more often. Thank you everyone who is still reviewing! I appreciate it greatly! Just for a Thanksgiving treat...I made this chapter extra long! Please enjoy guys and please review!

Love, Michelle :)

Please Enjoy!

Summer was blazing hot this year. The air was heavy and the Beatles buzzed in the trees as loud as they could. Water was short this year in sector 8. No fights broken out, no war declared. Even the soldiers stayed inside on this hot summer day. 8 months now that Kimiko has lived in sector 8 with the rest of the outcasts. She was becoming more comfortable with where she was. She was being accepted again. No one addressed herself as a princess. Just, Kimiko. And she was perfectly fine with this. Now she is learning new skills that weren't working as well as she wanted them too.

"Ack!" She yelled as she flew backwards landing on her butt and groaned as she looked up to see her attacker simply standing over her like nothing was wrong.

"That, was weak." He chuckled. Rai, The most dangerous man known from all across the lands was teaching fragile little Kimiko moves to fight and defend herself whenever she needed to. Kimiko growled as she looked at the man that was looming over her. He was changing slowly everyday. He looked weaker all the time. He would stay away from the public when possible. Kimiko wouldn't be as worried if he didn't have a strange episode a week ago.

A week earlier...

Kimiko walked down the streets of sector 8 minding her own business. She watched the children play and the mothers gossip to themselves. She took the time to compare the life in the sector to how life was back in the castle. It was basically the same thing only difference was money. Also these children didn't already have their lives planned out for them. She envied these kids. She knew it was the other way around for them but Kimiko knew they had it so much better then she did. She thought to herself, "Is he still asleep?" She looked down to the watched Nicki had given her. 3:46 it read. No he had to be up by now. She found herself more and more needing to be around him. She didn't know why its not like they got along. They always argued over petty things. He was so frustrating to be around. Kimiko was getting to aggravated just thinking about it. But, at the same time she felt sane to be around him. Someone so kind hearted only wanting what was right for the people. Kimiko smiled to herself slightly but all the time the picture of the women would come to her mind Such a beautiful girl. Was it the queen? No Kimiko has met the queen through video chats with her father over compromise that The king would refuse. Maybe one of the princesses? Maybe he fell for one of the princesses. That would make the most sense. Kimiko sighed as she continued walking till she came to one of the alleyways were she heard a crash. She jumped as she saw someone tumbling over the trash cans holding onto their stomach and growling lowly. Kimiko walked with caution till she recognized the person to be Rai.

"Rai!" She cried as she ran over to him.

"Stay back!" He yelled back never making eye contact still holding tightly to his middle hunching over as his body leaned against the wall. Kimiko froze not knowing what would be the best thing to do with this situation.

"Rai what happened?" Kimiko pulled out slowly looking around to see If there was someone she could blame this on.

"Nothing...just not feeling well.." He said weakly still not making any contact with her.

"That is a lie Rai! Your in pain and I want to help you!" She yelled. She wanted someone so badly to come and walk in to see this so she would make it so it wasn't her word against his.

"Just leave me alone.." He groaned as he leaned over farther.  
>"I wont!" She protested.<p>

"Leave!" He yelled finally looking at her. She gasped to see his eyes weren't green. They were a crimson red. Kimiko was filled with fear and confusion she didn't know what to do. Was it normal for a persons eyes to change color so dramatically? No it wasn't. This wasn't some bloodshot color. There was no sign of his green eyes. Just crimson blood red.

"Rai.." She tried to speak but her tongue was tied. She was is some type of trance that she couldn't get herself out of. She was so lost and confused not knowing what to feel. She was utterly scared.

Her trance was broken as she saw Rai get back up and ran the opposite direction she was in.

"Rai!" She yelled. Her body was moving on its own. She didn't know what she was doing. She was following him that's what she was doing. She ran as fast as she could but he was so much more quicker. Corner after corner they turned. Dodged everything and everyone. She was so close to catching him before she saw him jump on the edge of one of the building and swung himself up on one of the roofs like he did in sector 4. Kimiko had no upper body strength. She lost. She stood there out of breath. She was in a daze. So many problems coming up all at once She didn't know how she will deal with all of it at once. Rai was a closed book and he wasn't going to open up any time soon.

Present time...

Kimiko groaned as she laid on the ground not wanting to get back up. About three days ago she asked Rai to train her. She wants to get stronger, faster, she wants to be able to keep up with Rai. She didn't mention the thing that happened between them and he hasn't said a word about it. She just let it go. He has been acting normal though the past week but you can see it on his face how tired he actually it. She wondered if he even sleeps.

"Come on get up." His voice went through her head quickly. She looked to see his hand reached out for her. She gladly accepted and allowed him to help her get up.

"How did you learn to be so well trained?" She asked through a puff of breath.

"Instinct?" He shrugged. Kimiko gruffed. Instinct, instinct, instinct that's all he ever said. No training ever mentioned, no meditation to reach to your inner beast just. . . Instinct.

"You know that cannot be your excuse every time." She said folding her arms. He was amused and and shrugged again with a smirk.

"Its not an excuse, its the truth. I never learned how to fight I just always knew how to." He said bluntly.

"I can tell you would have killed me 20 times over by now if I was really fighting you." She smiled.

"Nah I don't kill girls." He smirked back.

"And what is that suppose to mean?" Kimiko said pretending to be hurt by his words.

"Well from the way you fight I would say any girl with as much of an anger issue I would expect her to fight better but your proof they don't." He smirked. Kimiko felt her brow twitched slightly.

"Rude." Keeping her cool. "And I thought we were teaching me how to keep my cool too." She spat back. Rai laughed as he walked over to her and grabbed her arms and brought them behind her back.

"Well when you get pissed off enough at someone here is a trick." He started. When someone is coming at you grab their arms so they cant use them. Bring your elbow up so its right above the person neck." He demonstrated. "Then quickly bring down your elbow in the crook of their neck. The nerves in the neck with be affected and quickly knock them out so they'll shut up for a while." He stated releasing her. Kimiko looked at him and did a lop sided smile.

"Can I try it on you?" She asked. He responded with a sarcastic laugh.

"You cant even catch me." He said. That stung Kimiko. Was he talking about what happened a week ago? Did he think it was a joke? She was confused beyond belief. What was it with this guy. Its like he enjoyed toying with her emotions and how she did things. She hated it. She hated the feeling of being in the dark of everything Rai did. What he said, what he does, what he thinks. She thought now that they were closer he would do something that would make the atmosphere easier to breath from. But no. He knew how to make things more difficult. He knew how to make Kimiko drown in her own curious mind. He wanted her to drown. He wanted that so that she wouldn't be able to get back up and ask continuous questions. It wasn't fair. Kimiko was a open book while Rai was a closed chamber. Nicki, John, Clay, all of them, they were so willing to tell their life story to the world. Not ashamed. But Rai, a hero to the people and a villain to society was so closed. Even the people closest to him. It was so frustrating.

"Kim?" His voice, so distant but so suffocating. She looked up at him with hollow eyes. Rai tilted his head to the side in confusion.

What happened to you?" He asked with concern.

"_You know why_." She thought. She gulped. She felt her body move backwards slightly. She was moving away from him. Why? Hes not going to hurt you. He is worried about you. Kimiko's mind was cluttered with thoughts it was hard to think straight. Before she knew it she was running. Not knowing where but just running. She couldn't see the meadow anymore. She something else though. A boy. She was chasing a boy.

"You cant catch me!" The child taunted. Kimiko didn't stop. She kept going. Who is he? He was royalty. Wearing the robes of a lord, the feathered hat of a king, the heart of a prince. "Is this a memory?" She thought. Before she could think anymore she felt a hand grab her forearm and her body tilting forward. Next thing she knew, She was in the hold of Rai as they tumbled down a steep hill.

Kimiko opened her eyes to see herself on top of Rai as he laid on the ground with his eyes shut. His arms protectively around her waist. She felt her face heat up exceptionally. Her hand was on his chest. His heart was beating. He was alive. She sighed in relief as she got up.

"Rai?" She said as she tried shaking him lightly. No movement. The growled to herself. "_Good going Kim_." She said to herself. She sat there for a second before something shinny caught her attention. She looked at the bottom of the hill to see Rai's watch fell out of his pocket. She looked back to see Rai wasn't moving still. She walked over quietly to pick up the watch. She held this watch only one other time and that's when she first found it. She opened to see an engravement on the side where the picture once was.

To Raimundo.

With much love and wishes. Happy Birthday.

Love, M.A.P

Kimiko looked at it strangely. Raimundo? Was that his real name? Rai could just be a nickname. It would make sense. Her heart quickly jumped into her throat as she heart a groan from behind her. She looked to see Rai sitting up rubbing his head. Kimiko hid the watch behind her back and smiled.

"Well good morning to you sir." she said politely. Rai looked at her confused.

"Its your fault I ended sleeping away my days." He groaned. Kimiko pouted.

"You were for maybe 5 minutes. Don't be blaming me you don't know where yore going." She said.

"Excuse me? Your the one who ran off and almost over down the hill!" He spat back. Kimiko folded her arms after placing the watch in her back pocket.

"You didn't have to grab me and you know that full well." She retorted.

"Your unbelievable." He groaned passing right by her. Kimiko dropped her jaw and faced the direction he was heading.

"I'M unbelievable?" Kimiko yelled. Rai quickly turned around.

"Yea ya are! You run off with no explanation and I go to help you before your really hurt yourself and somehow it ended up being my fault!" He yelled. Kimiko felt her anger build that she could help then next words that would come spurring out of her mouth.

"Its not like I am the one keeping huge secrets from everyone and wont open up to anyone!" Rai felt his face form into disgust.

"What the hell does that have to do with anything?"

"It has to do with everything you do. I don't know what your hiding but its scaring me that you might loose your own sanity over these secrets you keep covering up!" She yelled. Before Rai could retort, the sound of John and Nicki heading down the hill came to play. Rai looked at Kim one last time and simply said.

"Stop digging yourself in a deeper hole then your already in." Kimiko's eyes shot open wide. What did he mean by that? Was that a threat. Kimiko couldn't interperete anymore when John started talking.

"Rai we got a problem." He said so simply with was nerve racking. John, nothing changed his attitude. A smile plastered on his face all the time. So sarcastic and so mean, and yet on the outside seems so nice and so laid back.

"Whats going on?" Rai asked.

"Jack has attacked sector 5. And it wasn't some regular raid. He actually killed people." Kimiko saw no change in Rai's expression. As he had expected as much. He sighed.

"Alright, grab Clay and the others and lets get-" he was cut off short as he shot forward, holding his stomach and clutching his head.

"Rai!" Nicki and Kimiko yelled.

"Dammit not now..." Rai cursed under his breath. Nicki and Kimiko stood there trying to find a way to relieve him of the pain he felt, while John stood there with an expressionless face. Rai went down on one knee groaning only slightly.

"Rai tell us whats wrong!" Nicki yelled. Kimiko noticed the confusion on Nicki's face. At least now Kimiko knew she wasn't the only one.

"Rai you cant go like this.." John spoke up. The girls froze as Rai lifted his head only slightly. His eyes met Johns.

"The hell are you saying now John.." Rai growled.

"I'm saying is that you are not in good health right now and you overworked yourself. You need to rest." He paused. "Let me lead this rally." He said bluntly. Kimiko felt Rai stop fussing. She looked to see him looking at John dead on.

"No." He said.

"Your in no condition to-"

"I don't give a shit what condition I'm in I cant let you go and you know that John! Your not a fighter and if you go as me you know the consequences!" Rai backfired. Nicki Shook only slightly. It must be hard to hear your brother wants to fight for his life. John made no motion. Just stood there and smiled.

Kimiko wasn't too sure of the situation completely but couldn't see Rai going out in this condition.

"Rai let him go-"

"Stay out of this Kimiko!" He yelled.

"I wont! He is well and I know he can fight! You are unable to at the moment and there is no point to argue about this when we all know the answer!" Kimiko yelled back. Rai fell silent. The birds in the background covered the silence that fell through the air. Then, John spoke up.

"Day by day, we are only fed,

To feed the larger animal said.

We fight to live,

We fight to die.

Brothers we stand,

One will live one will die."

Rai stared at him with cold eyes.

"Ill gather the men and we will be off." As he turned Rai grabbed his hand before he could go off.

"Royal blood shall not be spilled for the life of peasant. Heathe these words for brothers no more." Rai growled. John merely stared for a second before yanking his hand away.

"Take care of him Nicki. Ill be home soon." John said before walking up the hill. Nicki nodded to her brother before assisting Rai. Kimiko couldn't help but to question what had just happened but knew this wasn't the time to ask.

Kimiko laid on her bed staring blankly at the ceiling. Rai hasn't talked to her in two days and John still hasn't returned with the group of men that had left. She recognized what Rai had said to John before he left. It was a verse from the vow made by every royal the claim that they will never give their life for a person under them. Kimiko hated taking that vow but it was the only thing she could do. Why did Rai say that to John? Was John a Royal at one point of time? Kimiko was confused, she didn't know what to do.

Before she could think anymore, she heard the gates from the front open up. John had returned. Kimiko jumped up quickly from her bed and quickly walked to the door. As she was about to open the door, a piercing scream made it to the middle of the living room. Nicki. Kimiko quickly rushed down the hallways down the stairs and out the front. She ran as fast as she could to the gate. Everyone was there before her. No sign of Rai. She made her way through the large group to the front to see the men standing there. Four of the men stood there holding up what looked like a stretcher with a white cloth over something that was laying in it. Kimiko felt her heart stop suddenly. A body. A dead body was under that cloth. She heard a shriek and looked to her side. She saw Nicki on her knees as three people held her down. She was crying harshly. She screamed on the top of her lungs. It was like her whole world was destroyed right in front of her. She looked back at the body that laid lifeless on the stretcher and knew now it was John.

Kimiko's stomach dropped. She couldn't even move. She didn't dare to. She looked behind the men to see dozens of bodies coming in. What happened? How did this battle go so wrong. She tried to function what was happening. She looked back at Nicki as she yelled her brother's name over and over again. Kimiko looked back at Clay who stood there with his hat off, bowing in shame. Kimiko looked behind to Rai, standing as far away from the crowed as possible. Kim saw Nicki, she saw Rai. Nicki stared at Rai for a moment. Stopping her screams. She stood up, walked through the crowed. Clay was hot on her tracks. Rai stayed in place with a blank expression. Nicki's breathing was harsh as she ran up to him and punched him straight in the face. Clay reacted quickly by restraining her. Rai stumbled slightly but continued to stand.

"You Bastard! You Knew! You knew he was going to die you sick son of a bitch! You knew it and you still let him go! Why would you take the only thing I had left from me!" Nicki screamed as she stared down Rai with puffy red eyes. Rai stared at the ground. He didnt make any attempt to talk. He just took what he was being served. Kimiko finally caught up with the crowed. Nicki was furious. Unbelievably angry.

"Are you happy now rai? Your best friend is dead because of you!" She shrieked. Rai just stood there.

"Forgive me.." He said under a whisper. Nicki heard it and quickly kicked him in the face. This cause Rai to fall to the ground and Clay to pin Nicki to the ground as well.

"Your apology wont bring him back!" She cried. It began to calm down and Nicki was released from Clay's restraints as she stayed on the floor curled up crying. Rai stood back up and walked back to his quarters. He stopped for only a moment to speak to Nicki one last time.

"You will never understand, how much I truly hate myself right now for allowing him to go. I dont ask for your forgiveness Nicole, I ask for Johnathan's." He continued walking leaving a broken Nicole, Ashamed Clay, and frightened Kimiko, and fearful town.


	10. Lies Running Through A River

_**Hello everyone! So, I'm just minding my own business one day and I see that I get a new E-mail from Fanfiction. So I read the Email and I get 8 new reviews in a span of like 5 minutes. 8! It really surprised me for the fact the new chapter was up for a couple of weeks but like a lot of you said you didnt get the email saying I updated but I'm happy you guys finally got to read the latest one and I'm happy you guys enjoyed it :) Well anyways, I was going to update this chapter in like a week or so and update one of my other stories but I thought for a Christmas present Ill update this one :D OK I got a question for you guys. Which story will you guys like to see updated next? I'm thinking your own fate. But you guys tell me! Anyways thanks for the reviews, the likes, the favs, all that good stuff! We are finally coming to the climax to the story and hopefully it reaches your guys expectations! Love you all and happy holidays!**_

_**Please review!**_

_**Enjoy-**_

Death was the only thing that came to mind when winter rolled around. A month never felt so long. An eternity in snow and silence. No smiles were exchanged, no laughs were spoken out. The loss of Jonathan was toll that the whole sector took. His funeral was light hearted as his body was burned and his ashes scattered through the fields that were in between the Pedrosa Palace and sector 8. Nicki said he always said how he wanted that to happen because his journey to an amazing life started on that path. Rai never came to the funeral. But, Kimiko saw him show up a couple hours later after the ashes were scattered and he stood in that one spot for hours. He went back to that same spot every day for two weeks till the snow started to cover up the ashes to forever be lost in the winter snow.

Kimiko was out wondering around the outskirt of sector 8. She hasn't talked to anyone in the whole month. She did her duties in the morning and spent the rest of her days down by the creek that separated sector 8 and the path to the Dashi House. Dashi. The man hat had the ability to end everything. He was in charge of all the neighboring houses but chose to stay out of any internal affairs that the houses has with each other. As long as they followed the rules and codes Dashi laid out for them, he left them alone. If only Chase wasn't hiding within the shadows of the law. When the whole fiasco of the prince going missing and his accused murder, Dashi kept to himself. Kimiko saw him more as lazy then anything.

Kimiko sat on the hill that led down to the creak as she watched the water ripple from side to side. It was calming to see the water being blazed by the suns raze. She brought her knees to her chest and she laid her head on the top of them. She hasn't felt this depressed since the death of her mother. It was the same feeling in the palace as it was now. Mournful in a way you would say. Kimiko could recall walking down the corridors to still hear the maids cry over the loss of the queen. She remembered her father would lock himself away for days and only appeared when needed. Kimiko felt the similar loneliness she did back in the palace. While everyone mourned and kept to themselves, she was on the outside looking in. She was the outcast because she looked forward while everyone else stayed behind. She sighed as she thought of her mother. A beautiful woman she was at one point in time. Until she began to get sick. A sickness with no cure. A plague with no name. She would collapse all the time. She would grow weak and tired. But, there would be days where she could run up the tallest mountain but only to cough up blood later in the day. She was restricted to stay within the castle walls. Funny, the queen restricted to stay in her house. Because of the bizarre sickness that fell upon her, she was no longer able to bear children which left only Kimiko to be heir to the throne.

Kimiko thought back. She remembered walking in on her mother while she was in her room. She remembers her being on the floor grasping tightly onto her stomach and moaning loudly. As Kimiko got a closer look, she saw her mother having piercing red eyes. She remembered her mother screaming at her to leave immediately. Kimiko sat there with her fingers digging into the earth as she thought of that memory. She remembered seeing Rai like that. The piercing red eyes. The pain in his face. Kimiko's eyes got wide as she looked passed the creak to the large wall in the distant to Dashis home. Maybe Rai has the same sickness as her mother did. She felt a turn in her stomach. So much pain and so much suffering, what ever sickness it was, it was torture to live with. She shook her head quickly back and forth as she tried to redirect her thoughts to something else as she brought her body closer together.

"You'll catch a cold out here." A voice said behind her. She looked behind to see Rai standing there holding an extra jacket in his hand. Kimiko didn't even realize she didn't have a jacket on. He brought it down to her level and she greatly took it. He took a seat by her and looked out in the same direction she was originally.

"You know your gonna catch a cold if you keep coming out here." He said with concern. Kimiko looked at him. He looked tired. Like he hasn't slept in days.

"Its nice here. Its my first time being so close to the Dashi palace." Kimiko admitted

"I don't think it's anything special." He said as he lifted one knee up to put the crook of his elbow on as he leaned forward.

"Besides, this is the closest you'll get because of the river here." Kimiko looked at him confused. It looked like a normal river to her. Only about 5 feet across and not even 4 feet deep. But, she did take note the creak wasn't frozen. The snow was heavy so wouldn't that mean it would have froze?

"What's wrong with it?" She asked.

"It was enchanted by a witch. Dashi created this as a barrier against enemies. The water continuously stays warm even through the winter so people believe its safe. But, if they were to drink the water they would drown in their own internal water. Or if they step through the water, they would sink into the internal mud at would suck them up whole." He explained.

"how do you know that?" She asked.

"Back at the palace, the cooks would tell stories of this river while I passed by." He said. Kimiko shook her head in understanding. She looked forward again and wrapped the jacket tighter around her. It smelt like him. He smelt sweet. Like fresh air. She looked up to see him still facing forward.

"This is the first time I've talked to you in a while."Kimiko said. Rai looked at her and gave her a side ways smirk.

"I've just been trying to figure things out. Trying to figure out why John did what he did." He said coolly.

"It was an ambush and he knew it. I was suppose to die that day and he took my spot. What a shit of a friend I am for allowing him to go in my place." He threw a rock into the water and looked at Kimiko.

"Then be happy. Be happy you had a friend willing to allow you to live in sacrifice for his own life." She said.

"But I cant keep sulking over it. John would Kick my ass if he saw me crying like a baby." He smirked. "I hope Nicki can forgive me."

"She's alright. After a couple of hours she knew it wasn't your fault but she was too stubborn to apologize." She admitted. Rai went silent. Kimiko felt uneasy. Just looking at him made her feel like a rock landed at the bottom of her stomach. The bags under his eyes. His skinnier look. His dark skin began to fade it seemed. Too similar. Too similar to how her mother was. Everything beautiful and perfect about her disappeared. Same thing was happening now.

"Rai…are you feeling O.K?" She asked timidly. He looked at her and smiled.

"Yea I feel great."

'Liar' she thought. There wasn't anything she could do about it though. She couldn't force the truth out of him no matter how much she wanted to.

As the day continued on, They sat by the river talking about random topics. Anything to change the subject.

"I have a question" Rai said.

"Alright" Kimiko replied.

"You've been with us for a while, why do you still talk like a Royal?" He asked. Kimiko looked at him confused.

"are you saying I talk funny?" She asked. Rai giggled.

"No I would just think you would have gotten out of that habit already." Kimiko gave him a sneer look.

"Alright. You talk like a Royal then." Rai looked at her with a challenging stare.

"I do apologize Kimiko if I don't meet to your standards of speech but this is the close as I believe I can possibly get." He said. Kimiko could sense the mocking tone in his speech.

"You actually do it very well." She admitted.

"Old habits die hard." he shrugged. As they sat there watching the sun going down. Kimiko remembered the day when John was about to head off to battle.

_Royal blood shall not be spilled for the life of peasant. Heathe these words for brothers no more."_

That's right. Rai said that. That was a quote from the oath that stated that a royal would say that he will not fight for a peasant. She looked at Rai.

"That night, when he left, you stated a line from the royal scrolls. How did you know that quote?"

Rai looked at her in surprised and slowly looked away. He licked his lips.

"John...John was a cousin of the royal family. He took that oath and me and him became friends later on. When we decided to leave, we came up with our own oath to fight for each other and be there for each other. I told him that before he left to try and convince him that it wasn't the right choice to leave but I lost that battle." Kimiko nodded her head in understanding but shock then suspicion flooded her face.

"Wait, you said he was a servant boy like you."

"I lied." He said blankly.

"So wouldn't that make Nicki a Royal too?" Kimiko asked.

"No not really. I mean yea she is a technical royal but their parents died after she was born and John was left to take care of her so the King let them live in the castle but they had no immediate control over the Kingdom." He explained.

"Thats complicated. There was only my mother, my father and I and I didn't even know if I had any other family members. The Pedrosas sound like they have a lot of family members." She said.

"Yea they diffidently had a bunch." He said laying in the grass putting his arms crossed behind his head.

"Why did they make a huge deal on the prince disappearing? I mean, weren't there like 8 of them?" She asked. Rai opened his eyes slowly and looked up to see the trees moving back and forth from the winter air. The snow under him was melting slowly and he could feel the cold water touching his skin.

"There were 6 boys and 3 girls. The 3 oldest boys went into the army for the Dashi home against other families across the water. All which died. Then, there was the prince who went missing and is probably dead too. The two youngest boys were twins but had health problems when they were born and died shortly after they were born. The two oldest girls went in the military to help with medical but were caught in a bombing in one of their sites and died. All that's left is the youngest daughter who is still alive as from what I know but unfortunately since she is a princess she cannot hold up the family name and cant hold position as queen without a king. Just like your situation when you had to marry Chase because you couldn't keep the name." He explained. Kimiko took a second to function everything that she just heard. She felt sorry for the Pedrosas. They lost all their children and the young daughter isn't able to do anything. Now it made more sense.

Her train of thought was interrupted when she saw Rai jump up quick and held out a hand to her.

"Come on we've been out here long enough. Lets go back already." He said with a smile. She liked his smile. It was so warm and filled with so much hope. She gladly took his hand and they were off once again.

As they made it to the entrance of sector 8, they took notice of Nicki standing out in the front leaning against the entrance. Rai sped up just slightly and Nicki met him half way. They stood there awkwardly for a minute or so. Rai took a deep breath in.

"Nicole I'm-"  
>"Save it!" She yelled throwing up a hand to stop him.<p>

"Its not your fault. I just-I just needed a reason, someone to blame. And you just so happened to be standing there. I'm sorry." She bowed her head to him. Rai stood there with a surprised look on his face and it quickly softened. He grabbed the top of her head and brought her in with a hug.

"Love you Nikki." He said. Nicki grumbled, not liking the affection he was giving off.

"OK ok I get it now can you let go!" She growled as she started to push back against his chest as he just stood there and laughed. Kimiko was happy to hear him laugh and to see Nikki being social again. John maybe gone, But time keeps moving forward and it gives people time to heal and to climb to better things.

"Well this is a sight." Said a voice. They looked back to see Clay standing there tipping his hat towards them.

"Hey Clay whats up?" Rai asked. Clay walked up to them with a big smile. Clay, what a character. His tall and broad structure just said everything about him. His messy blonde hair falling in front of his face down to his old dirty leather boots. Kimiko and Clay got along really well. Both being known for being a foreigner, it was nice for Kimiko to know she wasn't the only one a little different.

"Well I'm happy to see your feeling better then you were that's for sure." He said.

"Yea well it took time but I'm ready for anything." Rai replied.

"well good. Then you can handle something for me." Clay said walking back to the tower with a leading hand telling them to follow.

As they got to the top, Clay explained how they captured a prisoner from Chases army who joined up with Jacks during the raid in sector 5. Clay thought since he fought so well not to get himself killed, why not bring him in for questioning. So for the past month he was sitting in that room waiting for Rai. Rai was in there for about 30 minutes talking to the soldier. Kimiko felt a but nervous waiting outside that room for him. Rai wasn't well. Maybe it was a trap to kill him there. No. they searched him before they put him in the room with Rai. Maybe he was hiding something under his clothes. Kimiko shook her head trying to rid the random scenarios from her head. She jolted when she heard the door open to see Rai walking out first with a solemn face. Before she could question, she gasped when she saw a small yellow headed man walking out behind him.

"OMI!" She screamed as she ran over and grabbed the man and squeezed!

"You know this guy?" Nicki asked with a confused look.

"He's my father's adviser." She spoke in between gasps as she tried holding back her tears.

"What is a adviser doing here?" Clay asked. Omi looked up to Rai then to Clay.

"I came to tell you, you have trouble.


	11. News

_**Well guys I am proud of myself! Three updates in 1 day! And one more after this one :) ugh I'm tired XD Well anyways guys we have finally came to the climax of this story and let me tell you I didn't wanna rush this but it came out like that and please forgive me. I hope you guys enjoy it still and please leave comments! 11 reviews last chapter! I didn't think you guys liked this story so much aha. Well I'm happy you all do and a lot more drama heading your way! So I think what I'm gonna do is put Rai's and Omi's convo in a different chapter (maybe it's own) just because it does come with a lot of spoilers :) so please do enjoy this chapter and review! Oh! and if any of you Like the Anime Bleach, I have a story up for that I am also working one so check that out! :) Also look and Infinity and Your Own Fate for they are updated as well. Guys tell me what you want updated next! Love you all! :)**_

_**Please enjoy-**_

3 hours it has been since Rai went to talk to Omi. Kimiko sat in front of the conference room on the bench waiting for them to come out as soon as possible. Omi. The man who has been helping raise her since her mother passed away. When her father would go to mourn, Omi would be there to help. Why would someone as gentle as him be out on the field. And better yet, why is he working with Jack Spicer! Kimiko couldn't stop tapping her fingers on the side of the bench and she couldn't stop shaking her leg. She was nervous. What if Rai tried to hurt him? What if Omi hurts Rai? Kimiko sighed loudly catching Nicki's attention who was sitting next to her.

"Please do make it more obvious your impatient." Nicki.

"Sorry, I just wish I knew what was going on in there.." Kimiko admitted. Clay patted her on the back.

"Don't worry Darl'in, Rai ain't gonna do nothing to that little guy in there." He told her. Kimiko gave him a small smile but it soon vanished when the door opened to show the two men walking out of the room perfectly fine. Kimiko ran over and hugged Omi tightly.

"I'm so glad you're alright." She admitted.

"As do I princess. The whole kingdom is worried sick about you." He told her. She looked at him and smiled.

"Well my father found out I ran away. Sure, he'd be worried." She shrugged.

"Is that what you think happened?" Omi asked. Kimiko quickly looked at him.

"What are you talking about Omi I left a note for him under his door." She told him.

"Well your father did get a note. But it didn't say you ran away." He said. Kimiko gave him a curious look.

"Your father received a letter supposedly from Rai stating that he took you and will dispose of you like he did with the prince." He said. Kimiko stood there in shock before looking over to Rai. Rai pulled his hands up in defense.

"Hey don't look at me. Remember? I wanted you not to be here." He said. And he was right. The first day he threatened her to leave.

"Then who-"

"Chase Young." Omi said. Kimiko froze in place. She was trying to fully equipt on what Omi just said.

"Wh-Why would he do that to my father?" She asked quietly. She backed up slightly.

"To put fear into him. Give him a reason to use more then just guns against sector 8. Because now since you are unavailable, the only way Chase could access your father's land is with a compromised agreement. As long as Chase brings you back safely, Chase can use all his land an put as many nuclear weapons as he wants. He is going to blast right through sector 8 and make it to the Pedrosa palace. He is willing to kill everything in sight." Omi explained. Kimiko was going through her process of understanding everything he was saying. She took a seat as she organized her thoughts. Was Chase really that evil that he would do that to her already grieving father. Her father was complete mess without all that to worry about but now? Now thousands of people are going to die.

"What I'm curious is why Chase is going through all of this. What Is he trying to achieve from all this?" Nicki asked.

"He's looking for the Heart of the Kingdom." Rai spoke up. Kimiko head poked up.

"Whats that?" Nicki asked.

"I've never heard of that." Clay stated.

"Even as children you were never told about the Heart of the Kingdom?" Kimiko asked. They both shook their head in unison.

"The Heart of the Kingdom is an ancient power that is granted to the greatest royal of all time. The gods above recognize the purity of the royal blood and choose the victor. Here, who ever holds the Heart has the power of a god. It's a fairy tale that was told to children to give them the hope that someday they might become something great." Kimiko said.

"Hence Children were told these stories." Omi said.

"Basically Chase is going after a Folklore that doesn't exist. He is so strung up that it's somewhere out there but its not." Rai countered.

"So wait it's an Item?' Nicki asked.

"No it's a person. The Heart of the Kingdom is chosen once every time all the houses have a new Generation in home. And that so happens to be this Generation. Someone in this generation might have the Heart of the Kingdom." Kimiko said with such innocence.  
>"So is it just like the king and the queen and stuff?" She asked.<p>

"No. Anyone with the royal blood is eligible to have it. At least that's what the stories say and that's why the story is flawed and Chase is nuts. The majority of Pedrosa is whipped out. Kimiko's mother, was royal but unfortunately passed away. It could anyone and Chase would rather destroy and burn down homes then look at each one individual. He plans on killing off anyone he finds eligable for the position then find a way to take the power by force which I am more the interested to know how he does that. But until then Chase is a maniac and I can't wait to bring him down." Rai ranted as he stormed out the hallway towards the downstairs till he went out to the courtyard.

"I wonder why he's so heated?" Nicki asked.

"Well Lil lady I presume it's cuz he doesn't like his people to be threatened over fairy tales and myths." Clay explained.

"He does have a point though.." Kimiko said. "The heart of the Kingdom could have been anyone from this generation. The Pedrosa's had many children and lost all but one. My mother could have also counted. Even Jack Spicer could be it. Unfortunately we are not children anymore and we have to grow up. And we can't rely on these myths that might not be true. This should give us some type of advantage in fighting chase." Kimiko said as she also walked out to the street.

The sun was exceptionally bright today. It was a nice winter feeling though. She sighed as she looked at the children playing in the loose snow that hung around the outside of the shacks. She could recall back on the winter days when her mother would tell her the story of the Heart of the Kingdom. Kimiko enjoyed hearing about it because it gave her hope that someday she could be strong and amazing and make a difference someday. That's why she liked the story so much when she heard every night going to bed. But, after her mother had died, the stories stopped and Kimiko knew it was time to grow up. Even if some days she still feels like a child. Still daydreaming, still wanting something perfect she may never have. But, there was nothing wrong with having a little faith every so often.

She felt this is what this place needed. Faith. These people needed to know they would be forever safe. They needed to be secured at all times. The kids should be allowed to go out whenever they want without the fear of loosing a friend. A mother should not have to look twice when she does laundry. Men shouldn't be out fighting for theirs lives every day. Just one day, just one day with no worries and no regret. That would people the hope that they're would be more days just like that.

She ran her fingers through the naps of her hair. She needed a shower and soon. She was happy though. Happy to know that Omi was alive still. That guy has stuck through everything with her and her father. He deserves to be happy just like everyone else.

"Day dreaming princess?" Said a voice. She looked behind to see Omi standing there.

"I don't go by Princess anymore. I'm just Kimiko." She said.

"My apologies Kimiko. But you most certainty found yourself a secure place to be. Rai must keep this place pretty tight." Omi said. Kimiko shrugged.

"Not as tight as he planned to. He knows if people want to leave they can. He just protect what he needs to." Kimiko said.

"He's a good man, that Rai." Omi stated.

"Yea, he is." She smiled as she saw him playing with the kids out in the court yard. She looked back at Omi with a questioning look on her face.

"Why were you put in Jack Spicers army?" She asked. Omi huffed.

"Chase felt I knew too much and decided to put me into fight in hopes it would just kill me off. Unfortunately he doesn't know who I am. I taught the majority of our army how to fight." Omi said. Kimiko giggled.

"You can kick anyone's butt Omi if you really wanted to."

"You are right I could. But I choose not to." he said. They stood there for a while enjoying the gaze of the sun and the chatter of the people around them. This was peaceful. Kimiko felt at ease for a moment just enjoying this sanctuary. Nothing to do with war, no deaths, no fights, just...calm. She looked to see Rai waving goodbye at the kids in a rush as he headed back to the barracks. He was holding onto his head as he walked. Kimiko was ready to follow him till she felt someone grab her arm to see Omi gripping her.

"Leave him be Kimiko. He's probably stressed out. No need to go and bother him." He said. Kimiko bit her lip as she backed off.

"I just worry about him." She crossed her arms. "His health is horrible it's scary. He has the same symptoms that mother did. It makes me uneasy when I can't do anything to help him." She held her arms tighter. Omi noticed her change in stance.

"What your mother had is different from what Rai is going through. He's the leader of this place whether he likes it or not. He has a lot of stress on him and it might just all be coming back on him. Nothing to get too worked up about." Omi said. Kimiko shook her head in understanding and continued to look towards the gates.

"Hey Kim!" yelled a voice she looked to her side to see Nicki running up to her.

"Hello Nicki what's up?" She asked.

"Hey you wanna go on an trip with me?" She asked.

"Where?"

"Over by the old dump. I go there to collect papers and stuff for the heaters and stuff. Can you come and help me?" She asked. Kimiko looked back at Omi as if she was looking for approval.

"Go right on ahead Kimiko. You can handle yourself." He said. She smiled and they were off.

As they went up the hill, Kimiko couldn't help but to look around to see the castles around. The ones in sight were Dashi's, Pedrosa's, Tohomiko, and Spicer. Young was hidden deeper into the forest a way back. Everything looked so nice from the hills. Everything was at peace on the outside. Inside, everything struggled. Kimiko shook away the thoughts as the made their way to the abandoned dump. This use to be used the most to put all papers and recyclable items. But, since the war broke out, recycling was on the bottom of the list to worry about. They slowly climbed into the large container to land on huge piles of paper.

"So Nicki, how do you suppose we get all this paper back to the sector?" Kimiko asked. Nicki went digging into the bottom of one of the pile to find what looked to be a shoot.

"This I invented a few years back. What you do is put in some of the paper and it sends it through air pressured tubes down to the basement of the barracks where the heaters are." She explained.

"That's impressive Nicki! You must be good with electronics." Kimiko praised.

"I know my way around this stuff." She shrugged. "Alright, lets start grabbing this stuff."

They begin looking around the large container for papers and stuffed them down the tubes. Kimiko couldn't help but to look at the papers as she went.

"These papers, there back when the prince first went missing." She said. She took one of the papers that still had some writing on it in hopes to get some more information on the prince.

"Yea not much is talked about in these papers. You'll find him everywhere." Nicki said. Kimiko skimmed through paper after paper to find nothing but smudges and more smudges.

"All these papers are destroyed because of the weather. You can't read any of these." Kimiko admitted.

"If you find the Spicer's reports, they had some weird cover over all their news papers so they would last longer. You might get lucky." Nicki said still stuffing papers down the shoot. Kimiko began her desperate search. Just something. What he looked like, what he was like, hell his name would be great. Kimiko stopped for a moment and looked at Nicki.

"Hey I know this is odd of me to be asking you this but, do you by any chance remember the name of the prince?" She asked. When she didn't get an immediate answer she went back looking through the news papers.

"You know, my brother has said his name over the years a few times. I've never heard anyone else with this name so you would think I would remember it right away." Nicki admitted. Kimiko kept looking around till she felt a plastic type of material. It was slick. She pulled it up to see the Pedrosa family on the front page.

"Do you remember the first letter?" She asked as she pondered her own thoughts. Which one was he? There were 4 boys in the photo. Rai said how the three oldest went to war and the two youngest died shortly after birth so that means. She looked at the youngest boy. He was about 6 it seemed to be. He couldn't see any colors on him because of the paper being black and white.

"Well it started it an R I knew that. And It was a Spanish name. Like Renaldo or Ricardo or-"

"Raimundo?" Kimiko asked.

"Yea! That's what it was. Geez that took a while." Nicki laughed. Kimiko stood there completely immobile. Raimundo Pedrosa. Age 22. Lives in sector 8 as Rai, the rebellious leader against all houses of royalty. A Traitor against the Pedrosa House.  
>"Why didn't I see it?" She whispered. She couldn't believe how naive she has been this whole time. That's why he knew so much about the family. There is no way a servent boy could no all that. And the pledge. The pledge between him and John. When he spoke a peasent blood he spoke of John's! John knew. John knew who he was and didnt say a word. Does Nicki know? Does everyone else knows but her! She backed up as she put her hands into her hair breathing in slowly.<p>

"_He was here. He was here this whole time. This war was all because of him and he was here!"_ She thought

"Hey Kim you OK?" Nicki asked walking over to her slightly. Kimiko dropped the news paper and and just shook her head. "_He knew they were looking for and hid away? Why? Why would he do that to his own people? Doesn't he know what punishment that is?_.

"Kimiko your freaking me out a little here." Nicki admitted to her. Before she could answer, the sound of the alarms of sector 8 went off.


	12. Blood Spilt By Royalty

I feel terrible! It has been so long and I know you guys wanted this chapter so here it is! SO I have changed this chapter like 4 or 5 times and its still not to my standards but I guess it will do. But I do hope you all enjoy and I will try to get the next one up as soon as possible

Please enjoy and review!

The sound of the siren went off through the mountain side and bounced off the side of the hills. Kimiko and Nikki stood there looking around their area to see if anyone was in range.

"Nikki what do we do now? We can't get there in time!" Kimiko said. Nikki stood a moment. She thought as she looked at the shoot and an idea shot through her head.

"Well go down there!" She said pointing at the shoot.

"Is that even safe?" Kimiko cried. Nikki walked up behind her.

"Well lets find out." She opened the hatch and pushed Kimiko down the chute. Her screams echoed through the tube as she slid down the slick metal.

She went down the tube at a high speed as she curled her arms and legs together. She felt the metal begin to burn through her clothes as she bit her lower lip to bare the pain. But, It was as if it wasn't the pain of the hot metal but the pain she felt was in her heart. Rai was Raimundo. The prince that has been missing for so many years. The reason why the houses have been fighting, the reason why everything went to hell, all of it was standing in front of her this whole time. Standing there pretending to be someone he wasn't. Kimiko watched as the light to the end of the shoot was getting bigger and knew that this way would work and Nikki wouldn't have a problem coming down the chute. But Kimiko wouldn't be there to greet her.

Kimiko fell hard onto the floor as she rolled slightly next to the fire pit where the papers would go. She got up slowly And looked at the door and dashed through it. She found herself at the bottom floor of the tower. She got to the stairs and ran up to the main floor. She looked around to see Everyone was in frantic trying to find out what was going on. The alarm was much louder inside then anywhere else.

"Where are they!" Yelled a man running inside holding a machine gun with larger men behind him. Kimiko looked up at the rest of the stairs and dashed for the top. The top floor was strictly for Rai. Kimiko now had a better Idea on why that was. She continued running passing by people as she went up while everyone else went down. By the time she got half way up past the 4th floor, the alarm stopped. Kimiko stopped in her tracks as she looked around curios to know why they ended.

She continued to walk up the stairs to see Clay walking down. They stopped to look at each other before Clay said something.

"Where you going lil lady?" He asked with a smile.

"Where's Rai?" Kimiko said bluntly. Clay was surprised of how quickly she responded. He leaned against the wall.

"Well last time I checked he was outside playing with the kids. Why you so interested into where he is all of a sudden?" He asked.

"The alarms went off. I gotta see what he wants me to do." The sarcasm in her voice was noticeable.

"Yea it was an accident. I was about to tell everyone it was a false alarm. So don't worry about it." He said with a smile. Kimiko saw it. She saw he was trying to hide something. She looked up to the door that went into Rai's door then back at Clay.

"Why were you in his room then?" She asked. This was starting to get ridiculous. What was he hiding.

"Oh I was just grabbing something for him." he smirked. Liar. He was hiding something.

"Oh yea? What is it?" She asked. Clay's smile disappeared instantly. The silence flooded the floor dramatically as they stood there on the stairs.

"Kimiko, back off." Clay warned, keeping his eyes under the shadow of his hat. Kimiko felt the irritation flooding through.

"You know.." Kimiko growled. "You've known this whole time without saying a bloody word to anyone!" She yelled. Her hands formed fist beside her. She was so angry at everything. At Rai, at Clay, at Chase, and her father everyone! She was tired of the secrets, the lies, just everything. She looked up at Clay once again.

"I'm going." She demanded as she started to walk past him. He didn't stop her. Right when she reached Rai's door she heard Clay say something.

"Don't judge him Kimiko. Don't change your opinion on him." He said as he walked down the opposite direction. Kimiko looked and turned back to the door and opened it slowly.

"Rai?" She called out. She didn't get a reply so she opened the door the rest of the way and looked inside. This whole time she has been here she has never seen his room. She saw it was about twice the size of the apartment she was staying in. She looked to see the kitchen and a door that must have led to the restroom. She saw the large bed centered in the room with the head of the bed against the wall. The sheet were messy. It looked as if it hasn't been made in years. She walked deeper in the room shutting the door behind her. She looked to her side to see a dresser with photos on the top. The frames they were in were cracked and some even shattered. She saw that woman again. The one that was in his watch. Only she looked younger. She saw more photos of the girl. She even saw some of an older looking couple. Kimiko gasped slightly when she saw it was the King and Queen of Pedrosa. Kimiko's heart dropped. So it's true. Kimiko backed up slightly away from the photos. She looked around and started to open up doors. Trying to find him anywhere.

"Raimundo!" She screamed. She started to breath heavily. She backed up slightly to feel something graze her hair. She looked up to see it was a string. She saw it was a secret passage way to the roof. She quickly pulled it down to see the old crummy stairs come down. She looked up to see another door up the steps. She calmed herself down as she started to walk up the case of stairs being safe and keeping quiet. Her heart was thumping so loud she could hear it in her ears. She made it to the top to see the door was metal. A thick metal too. She took hold of the latch, a pulled it open. The light of the sun was bright and she squinted her eyes. She stepped out on the concrete roof and started to look around. She could see everything from up here. The horizon of all of the kingdoms. If she wasn't as she was she would think this was beautiful.

Kimiko took a few steps away from the door and looked to her side to see Rai standing on the side of the building. Kimiko was about to say something before she looked down by Rai's feet to see two men covered in blood laying lifeless on the floor. Kimiko gasped but quickly covered her mouth in hopes Rai didn't hear her. But it was too late. Rai made a strange twitch to the side and turned to look behind him. Kimiko's eyes went wide as she saw Rai standing there with blood on his face and his clothes. His eyes were burning red, filled with so much hate she couldn't stand it. She watched as the red liquid dripped from his mouth. He didn't move. He just stood there, watching her. Kimiko couldn't think. She was terrified. She took a step back to see he still didn't move.

She watched as his mouth opened up to a smile. His perfect smile was tainted. Kimiko turned as ran as fast as she could to the door. She opened it quickly and shut it. She tried to find the lock to see it took a key.

"Shit!" She growled to herself. She slapped the door and turned to run before she heard the clang of the keys. Rai was at the bottom of the stairs looking up at her holding up a set of keys.

"Looking for something?" He asked. His smirk. It was so dark, so demonic. Kimiko turned and went back up on the roof. She walked backwards away from the door and quickly running her fingers through her hair.

"What the hell.." She whispered to herself. She looked back at the men and run up to them. She went down to her knees and started to look through there pockets for anything that could help her. She looked to see the way they died. They were beaten. Bad. This wasn't some "Defending my house" Sort of beating. This was a termination. She found herself a knife on one of their belts and pulled it out.

"Kimiko.." She heard. She turned quickly and pointed the gun at Rai who stood a few yards away from her.

"Stay back!" She yelled. Rai stood there looking at her with blank green eyes. More with confusion.

"How did you even get up here?" He asked. Pointing at her as if he never knew she was up here. He looked behind her to see the men then everything started to come together. Rai put up a hand to tell her he was no harm.

"Kimiko, I can explain." He said calmly.

"Oh can you now?" She said sarcastically. Her hand was shaking while holding the knife.

"Kimiko put the knife down." He said softly.

"Fuck you." She growled. She slowly stood up still pointing it at him.

"You killed these men.." She started.

"They're Spicer. They snuck in somehow and they climbed up here and threatened me. There guns are over there." He pointed to the left where they laid.

"I didn't want to but I had no choice." Kimiko stared at him scared out of her mind.

"You came after me. Your eyes were red! There is blood all over your face explain that!" She yelled. Rai shook his head lightly and rubbed his eyes roughly.

"Do you..do you mind if I just sit down for a second?" He asked. Kimiko looked at him confused. Her grip on the knife loosened when she watched him take a seat on one of the pipes that went through the top part of the ceiling. Kimiko walked over to him slowly to see his head between his legs and his breathing quickened. She started to hear a gagging only to see him vomiting up blood. It wasn't much but the human body wasn't suppose to do something like that. He picked his head up and had his eyes closed as he tilted his head back.

"The blood on my face is mine." He admitted. Kimiko put the knife to her side and anger took over her.

"What's going on...Raimundo." She said. Daggers shot at Kimiko and she flinched slightly.

"That's not my name." He growled.

"Oh really? So if I go to Clay right now-"

"What the fuck did Clay tell you!" He got up into her face in moments. Inches apart and she could feel his hot breath on her. Something she would usually enjoy but now she wanted him to back up.

"He didn't tell me anything. But I know he knows." Kimiko said smoothly. Rai looked at her for a moment more and walked into the other direction.

"So everything you said was a lie from the start!" Her anger was beginning to flare. "So Clay is the only one that knew the truth,John did too. I bet he knew and he was gonna expose you and that's why you let him go off that-" A loud bang was heard. She flinched to see Rai had punched the metal door leaving a dent to match his fist. He turned around and looked at Kimiko.

"Don't you ever say something like that again! I loved John he was my best friend! I didn't want him to leave but I was in no condition to stop him from going! His blood will be on my hands till the day I die! Now before you wanna start running your damn mouth some more why don't figure out what is really going on before you wanna start throwing accusations out." He growled. Kimiko was in complete shock. She couldn't function what had just happened.

"Then tell me Rai, what is going on." She said quietly. He looked away from her.

"It's complicated." that's all he could say. That's all he could think to say.

"I think I can figure it out." She replied. He shook his head.

"You know I didn't want you here in the first place! Instead you come in a fuck everything up!" he yelled.

"You kept me here for a reason!" She responded.

"Yea so Chase wouldn't start bombing us but look how that turned out." Silence was around for a moment.

"Well one thing is for sure, your the prince." She chuckled. "Your Raimundo Pedrosa, the missing prince in which was claimed to be murdered by my father."

"That was Chase's doing not mine." He said.

"Doesn't matter! If you didn't leave he wouldn't have said that! Why did you decide to get up and run away in the first place hmm?" Her sarcasm was coming into play. Rai kept his head down.

"What? Did they not have the right color robe for you in the morning? Or was owning 5 horses not enough for you? Please enlighten me on how horrible your life was living in complete luxury?"

"I didn't want to get married!" He blurted. Kimiko stopped in her tracks. She just stared and allowed his time to vent.

"What do you-" She started.

"I didn't want to be married off. So I ran away. Sound familiar to you Kimiko?" She threw his arms to the side.

" When I was 8 years old, My father told me I was soon to be married. I was 8. Who in their right minds marries off an 8 year old! But they wanted to combined the Kingdoms and this was their only option for I was the next one in line as King." Kimiko felt like she was watching her life in a dream right now. Then Rai started again.

"You know I was totally up to it. I could go around saying How I can run everything! I was excited. Until I met her." Rai's eyes got solemn.

"She was beautiful. I mean I guess you could call every 4 year old cute but to me she was special. Her eyes were always what attracted me to her. So different like mine. Darker in color. I knew you were gonna look as beautiful as your mother and I was gonna be the luckiest guy on the planet." He looked up at Kimiko. "I loved you, more then you could ever know." He licked his lips and looked back down at the ground. Kimiko couldn't think of any words to say. She was so baffled, so shocked by everything. Rai began again.

"The problem was, was that you didn't love me back. You hated me. You never came around me. You would sit there and tell me how much you hated me and how much I smelled." He chuckled. " I guess if you look at it now it's kind of silly but back then, it hurt. I thought it was serious and my family was making you marry someone you didn't even love. I felt I was robbing you of your youth. So I went to my father and I told him how I refused to marry you. And do you know what he said me?" he paused. Kimiko shook her head no.

"He told me it's a princes duty to protect his kingdom and Will do as I am told." Kimiko felt a flashback hit her. "_It's your duty." _She remembered her father telling her that before she ran away.

"So that was it. I packed a little bag, got John, who by the way was the servant boy, to let me out the back and I was gone. I told john that since we were friends and he helped me to take one of my horses and for him and his sister to leave. I would see him again." He said letting Kimiko take all of it in.

"So, you ended up in sector 8 and lived happily ever after? Did you think that it wasn't such a good idea to leave and should have headed home?" She asked. Rai chuckled.

"That would have been smart, If I wasn't dealing with something." He looked at her.

"That's when I found out how crazy chase really is."

"What do you mean?" He walked farther away from her.

"Do you remember when I was talking about how he wants the Heart of the Kingdom?" He asked. Kimiko shook her head yes.

"He didn't believe in magic, he believed in science." He took a sharp breath then looked back at Kimiko.

"When I ran away, I ended up in Chase's Territory. His guards took me to the palace and his father Charles said I could stay there for as long as I liked. He wouldn't tell my parents where I was. At first I was Okay with it. No surprises, just me living there with nothing to worry about. But then.." He bit his lip.

"They took me one night down to their cellars and they started..experimenting." He said.

"What the hell does that mean?" Kimiko spoke up.

"To be honest, I don't even remember. It fried most of my memory being there. All I know was that he was trying to create the ultimate warrior. Who never dies, who never sleeps, who never eats, Who never ages." He looked at her.

"Immortal." She whispered. He nodded.

"The Heart of the Kingdom is someone with immense power. The ability to defeat any enemy. The power of immortality. That's what The Heart of the Kingdom was. A story" he said. Kimiko stared at him. She could see the pain while he was talking. How hard it was for him to talk about this.

"Rai...What happened?" She asked. He looked at his feet then swayed a little.

"One night, the king was drunk. My hair grew out and I was thinner then before." He looked back up at her. "He confused me as one of the maids and dragged me to his room." A pause.

"Kimiko do you remember how the king died?" He asked.

"He died of a heart attack right?" She was hoping she was right. He smirked. A chill went down her spine.

"No. He brought me in there, a the second he touched me, I blacked out. Next thing I knew I was holding his lamp. It was broken and covered in blood. I saw him on the bed laying lifeless and his skull cracked in. Then it hit me. I did that. I killed the King of Young. I panicked and ran out the door. I escaped before the sirens went off and I took off never looking back." He ran his hand through his hair as he took in a shaky breath.

"I wanted to go home but that's when I found out that a rumor went around saying I was dead. So I took off to one of the sectors. The only one I could get to was sector 8. I laid low, changed my name, and by the time I was 18, I took charge of the mess I created." He finished with just that. Kimiko just stared at him. Half was so unreal she couldn't function it.

"So...So...your not sick, i-is it like a...a reaction or.." She stampered.

"I was a failed experiment. I get strength and random times, I have amazing agility and speed, hell I went from here to the stairs faster then you going through the window. I feel amazing and I can defeat the world. I blank on half the stuff I do. I don't know who I am but I know I am protected. But, If I over do it or if it goes on too long, I become weak, I cant sleep, I cant eat, I suffer in my own body on a daily basis and that's when I get reminded that this is me and this is real. And it's only gotten worse and its showing me that I only have a limited time left to help sector 8 because I can't go much farther then this." He admitted.

"My mother...she..." She struggled to pull any words out now.

"She was one of the first ones. They were convinced royal blood was different from others. Your mother was also a fail. They all thought it was a disease but in the end It was Chase. This whole time everything that has gone wrong is chase." He coughed roughly before he looked back at her.

"So now you know, Now leave it alone." He told her. Kimiko fell out of her trance for a moment.

"Excuse me?" Kimiko said.

"What you hard of hearing all of a sudden?"

"No your telling me to let this go? You cant think I could do something like that can you? He have to find help for you Rai!" She yelled.

"There is no help for me anymore! What ever this is is mixed up in my DNA you cant just put an antibiotic and everything will be okay in a couple of days!" He shot back.

"Well someone has to know what to do!" She tried reasoning with him.

"No Kimiko! No one knows and I am keeping it like that!" He yelled walking passed her towards the door.

"Raimundo don't walk away from me!"She cried. He stopped at the door and opened it.

"I'm not Raimundo anymore." he walked through the door and slammed it behind him.


	13. Broken Glass

Well guys let me just say, thank you. Since my last update I got over 40 reviews which has never happened before and it made me the happiest person in the world. I'm in New York right now I'm gonna try and get another update in by Wednesday so please be patient but I hope you guys enjoy this chapter. It took me a couple of days to write but it's up and going but please! I want even more reviews then what I got before :D Hope you guys enjoy :3

The next day seemed like nothing more then another day. Everyone went off with their daily duties as if the alarm never happened. Clay's excuse was that he thought it was a intruder but confused a squirrel which everyone seemed to believe. Kimiko walked around the square hoping to find Rai somewhere. He was no where to be found. After the outburst from yesterday, it is as if he had vanished and could never be found.

Kimiko was deep in thought wondering around sector 8 when she accidentally bumped into Clay. With a "omf!" She looked up at him and scowled.

"So you know now huh?" He asked. He asked in a way where it wasn't suppose to be a question but more like a statement.

"How long have you known?" She asked.

"For as long as I've known Rai. He is one my closest friends, it was sooner or later I was gonna find out, I mean with all of his episodes he has he had to explain to me." He explained. Kimiko thought of Rai's random outburst and figured he had only done a couple. But then again, she didn't know Rai as long as Clay or Nicki did. Kimiko took a breath.

"Do you know where he is? I haven't seen him since yesterday." She said trying to change the subject.

"Not a clue. He's here somewhere." He responded.

"okay thanks." She said as she walked away without looking back to see Clay watching her.

Kimiko came back to the tower. She has no Idea where he would be. In the morning she went to his room to see he wasn't there either. She was so frustrated. She hated the fact he just left. No closer instead he just took off like a scared child. Kimiko growled at herself having the urge to punch and smash something in her reach. Kimiko inhaled then exhaled to calm herself. If one thing her mother taught her with her horrible anger is that getting upset with a situation doesn't change anything.

"Hey Kimiko." She heard someone say. She turned around to see Nicki standing smiling at her.

"Hello Nicki." She replied.

"You look pissed. What's up?" She asked. That's right, Nicki didn't know about Rai. Didn't know he was the prince and didn't know his other little secret. She was just a baby when her and John ran away.

"Oh it's nothing really. Just a lot on my mind." Kimiko replied.

"Me too! It's so hard to try and plan this rally for tomorrow all by myself." She scratched her head.

"What Rally?" Kimiko asked.

"Rai planned a Rally a few months back to gather everyone in sector 8 to enjoy a day without needing to worry about war. Just to have a relief for once ya know?" Nicki said. Kimiko smiled at her. It was nice of Nicki to help put all of this together. She did have a soft side.

"Hey Nicki" Kimiko stated.

"Yea?"

"You wouldn't happen to know where Rai goes when he's upset would you?" Kimiko asked.

"Usually to his room." She said.

"Besides there."

"Well he hid in the old laundry building before after a really bad battle we had. Why are you guys fighting?" Nicki said with a coy face. Kimiko blushed slightly.

"No! Just curious. Bye Nicki I'll talk to you later!" She called out running in the opposite direction.

Kimiko thought about what Nicki said. In a way you could say they were fighting. But, Kimiko's feelings were completely conflicted. She wasn't fully understanding what Rai told her last night. He was the prince. They were suppose to get married. He ran away for that reason, for her. He fell prey to chase and became his rat in his experiments and now he is slowly dieing. Kimiko tried to function all of it last night but couldn't. She tried to function it now. It was all starting to all coming together. Slowly but surely. She started to understand him, the situation, the world, herself, and her feelings. Love..

She came up to the abandoned laundry building. This was here before Rai took over where everyone would do their laundry before Rai put the washers in the people's buildings. It was a one story small building. She went through the old wooden door to hear the echo of the door open.

"Rai!" She called out. She didn't get a response. She walked slowly down the isle of washers to see nothing but old broken down washers. The darkness gave her chills of fear. The sound of breaking glass made her shriek and she looked to her side to see Rai sitting on the floor looking straight ahead with a bottle in his hand and empty ones of his sides. He must have dropped one trying to get up.

"Rai!" Kimiko cried as she bent down next to him and looked at him. He hasn't slept. The smell of alcohol was radiating off of him. She pushed over some of the bottles and went down on her knees. She saw that one of his hands were bleeding. Not too bad but enough to need to be wrapped.

"Never knew you were a drinker." She commented when she picked up one of the empty bottles to see it was a bottle of vodka.

She watched as Rai picked up his half empty bottle and finished it off. He took the bottle away from his mouth and sighed.

"I hid all of these years ago." He hiccuped. "Last time I had anything to drink wa-was 4 years ago." He held up four fingers and hiccuped again. He couldn't help but to giggle.

"A little boy followed us to where we were fighting and Jack's men didn't even hesitate to shoot him where he stood. That day I knew I wasn't fit to lead." He laughed again."His mother-his mother, her name is Janice, couldn't even look at me. She cried for weeks, never left her house, Finally she killed herself. She hung herself outside in front of everyone. She lost her husband by Jack back in sector nine, three years before they came to sector 8 in hopes I would protect them. I didn't know he was following us. He hid in one of the jeeps with no one knowing. His name was Trevor. Trevor Baker. He had a little sister and a dog named Skippy. They now live in the shelter we have for kids." He looked back at Kimiko. "I quit drinking when I was younger but I couldn't help but turn to it that day." He picked up the empty bottle, "I hid these so that if I ever felt shitty like I did that day, I could turn to the booze for comfort." He through the bottle across the room. Kimiko looked to see the pain that was all over his face.

"How is that working for you so far?" She asked with sarcasm. He huffed at her comment.

"But you fought through that, you kept leading, these people need you Rai." Kimiko tried to convince. Rai looked at her with lazy eyes and stuck his tongue out at her and laughed out loud. Kimiko sighed.

"Come on Rai, get up." Kimiko held her hand out to help him up but he just stared at her. A long, unneeded pause was inserted between them. Kimiko got that feeling of misplacement again. As if she never belonged there.

"Why are you here?" He asked her. Kimiko at first couldn't really come up with an answer for that. Why was she here? He didn't want her help so why was she pestering him so much?  
>"I don't want you to go through this alone. I know things seem rough and it's hard to believe Rai but people actually want to help you and make sure your alive the next day. They need you to protect them and help them. I'm here to show you that you mean everything to these people and how do you think they would feel if they found out that you're hiding in an abandoned building drinking your life away? Your their inspiration to fight for what they believe in. I-we want to be there when you need help to stand back up, a shoulder to cry on when you loose someone you care about. Not for you to hide and keep everyone in the dark that you swore to protect." She rose her voice at him. He looked at her, his eyes glistening slightly with the little light that entered the room.<p>

"You didn't know I existed till you entered sector 8." He retorted. In a way that hurt Kimiko in a way. Her eyes became sad as she looked at him.

"I always knew who you were. Even though I couldn't remember you I still knew you. Kind and sweet. Generous and loyal. Brave and handsome. We may have only been children but when you disappeared I knew there was always something missing. I know Raimundo and I know you Rai. I may have not been around as much as Nicki or Clay but, I know you. You're the prince that will never leave my heart." A sorrow entered her heart. Her chest was getting heavier as if more and more feelings began to build. Her fear of no response of growing. He was in a drunken state and she feared he would not remember anything she said. He huffed and smiled slightly.

"why were always able to do that?" He mumbled.

"what?" she asked.

"You always make me love you more then I already did." he said in a low sweet voice. His eyes looked sweet with emotion that it made Kimiko blush when he looked at her.

"Do you-Do you really love me the way you say you do? Or is it the alcohol talking?" She asked. He laughed at the comment.

"It's probably a little of both." He took a breath. "You say these people need me, but you forget that I am the reason that they are at war in the first place. So many people have died because I was a coward and ran away from my problems. If I were to be found out I would be arrested for treason against my own palace. Do you know how stupid that sounds? Getting arrested by your own father?" He ran his fingers through his hair. "That's one of the hundreds of reasons why I feared ever saying anything to anyone." He picked up one of the empty bottles and brought it over his mouth to see if there were any remaining drops he could take. When there was none he growled and threw the bottle and watched it shatter against the wall. It made Kimiko flinch slightly.

"But if you tell them, the people of sector 8 might actually help to protect you. They'll understand." She said.

"Your kidding right? They'll give me the same response you gave me earlier." He shot at her.

"Yes but I got over it. They will too. You need to give them time so that they can understand that's all." She smiled at him.

"Not everyone is like you Kimiko. These people want nothing to do with royals, they'll slaughter anyone who comes through those gates." He retaliated. There was a pause.

"They accepted me. You accepted me. I mean after putting a knife against my neck but in the end you understood. They all did. You accepted me with open arms. I did my part to help and you more then did your part. You are their leader Raimundo. They care about you. These are good people. They will understand. Trust me." She tried to convince. She needed to convince him in any way possible. The sooner she could get Rai to tell the people, the better. The last thing she needs is for Chase to find out where he is and tell everyone himself.

Rai looked away from her. "I don't know.." He whispered. He felt a soft hand on his cheek he looked over to see Kimiko looking right at him. Her eyes filled with so much concern for him it made his heart melt. He would do anything for this girl. He would die for this girl.

"kim.." He said softly.

"They would never turn on you Rai, they trust you, they need you, They love you. I love you." She said softly. She leaned in slowly with her heart heart pumping loudly. She felt it was echoing against the walls. She was relieved when she met Rai half way as their lips met. It felt like a spark lit up the whole room, the whole world. The butterflies in her stomach where flying like crazy. He smelt of dirt and alcohol which she fell for instantly. His lips were so soft that it felt these would become her new addiction. She felt slightly sad when they released one another. Raimundo looked at her and smiled.

"I've been wanting to do that for years." he laughed. Kimiko smiled.

"Rai, I need you, I want to help you, but I need you to trust me. Trust your people. They need you as much as I." She said sweetly. Rai bit his lip lightly. He sighed and looked up at her.

"But what if they hate me? What if they report me in and I can't get my revenge of Chase after everything they did? What if I don't have enough time-" He was cut off of Kimiko laying on his chest and wrapping her arms around his shoulders.

"You're not going anywhere." She said into his chest. "I won't let you. I promise." She held him tighter. Rai just stared at her. Wishing there was a way to reverse what damage was done but there was no way out of this mess he put himself in. Since there was so much he could do at this point and so little time why not make her happy at least one more time?  
>He put his hand on top of her head and sighed.<p>

"Okay, I'll tell them tomorrow." He said quietly. Kimiko perked up quickly and hugged him.

"Thank you Raimundo." She said happily, smiling bright. She was filled with so much hope. Raimundo just stared blankly for a moment before trying to change the subject.

"Okay now that's taken care of can I get another kiss cuz I really liked that last one." He gave a smirk. Kimiko giggled as she was more then able to oblige.

The next day was like walking into a huge festival. Food everywhere, everyone smiling, kids playing, music going, something that sector 8 has not seen in a long time. Fun. Kimiko walked around with a couple of kids playing a few games with them. She felt completely content with life. She didn't want this moment to end. But she knew in a few moments Rai was gonna make his announcement and everything was about to change.

"Hey Kim!" Nicki yelled as she ran up to her.

"Hey." She said.

"Looks like you found Rai." She pointed out looking at Rai by the stage talking to Clay and Omi.

"Yea he wasn't very far." She smiled. Nicki took noticed and giggled to herself.

"And what is so funny?" Kim asked putting her hand on her hip.

"Nothing." She said. Kimiko took a sip of her drink. "You guys hooked up." Kimiko spit back out her drink.

"Excuse me?" She cried. The tapping of a microphone interrupted them. They looked up to see Rai on the open stage with a drink in hand and a smile on his face.  
>"Alright guys can I have everyone's attention please." He called out. Everyone gathered by the stage to listen to him.<p>

Rai felt his heart began to race as he cleared his throat.

"Now I had this rally done so we could all take a day and to relax, but to forget." He took a breath. "This has been probably been the roughest months on us all. We have all lost someone we loved. Even me. John was my best friend. He was like my brother and he took my place and was killed. I will never let that go. But he and everyone else who has fought for us are all great guys. I knew everyone of them. Like Jacob Raens." He pointed at a women with two toddlers. "Mark Richardson" Pointed at a older women in a wheelchair.

"Brothers and sisters have fought at well like Christina Dykes." Pointed at a young man. "And Kameron Shaw" looked at a couple with an older boy.

"All of them I got to know and all of them I miss dearly. I have lost more men then I ever intended to. For me I didn't know a thing about fighting or leading, but you all looked up to me and trusted me. I give you all I can give. You all are everything to me and I want to thank you all for standing by me in fighting this hell of a war." He held up his cup and so did everyone else did in the crowd with a huge cheer echoed. When it all settled down he took a breath and looked at Kimiko then looked back down.

"You all have been good to me. Thank you. But, I have not been fully honest with you." Whispers went through the crowd. "Now before I go on just know that no matter what I will continue to fight for what is right and defend every single one of you. But the truth and honesty here, I am not the man I told you I was." Shock gasps were heard. Clay's eyes widen I he tried to rush to the stage. Before he could Kimiko got in front of him.

"What in Tarnation is going in?" He yelled.

"Wait." She said and looked back at Rai.

"Calm down hold on I haven't even said anything yet." Rai nervously said. Before Rai could finish, a loud burst was heard coming by the entrance. Everyone stopped and looked behind to see Soldiers from Young and Spicer storm the sector, shooting and throwing grenades.

"Everyone run!" Rai called out as he jumped off stage to grab one of the guns underneath the stage. He took cover behind it as he started to shoot.  
>"Clay!" He called out. Clay rushed over telling the girls to run. Kimiko and Nicki were running in the oposite direction to help people to get to a safer place. They watched as fighter planes came through and shot down the buildings. The girls watched as the towers fell to the ground bearly missing the people.<p>

"The princess went this way!" Yelled one of the soldiers. Rai's heart dropped as he rushed over to Kimiko. His strength came to his aid as his eyes changed and he took off like a race car trying to find Kimiko.

Kimiko and Nicki were directing the people outside the sector to the fields.

"Kim, make sure everyone is out." Nicki told her.

"Got it." Kimiko ran back into the sector to look for others. The houses were falling, there were fires everywhere. Kimiko couldn't believe this.

"Ah!" a scream was heard. She ran over by the main tower to see a little girl crying. Kimiko ran over and bent down.

"It's okay I'm gonna take you to somewhere safe okay?" She said. The girls eyes went wide. She pointed behind her. She watched as the tower began to tumble. It was going to fall on top of them. Kimiko had to move, she had to move now but she couldn't. She was stiffed with fear. There was no time, not time to move, think.

"Kimiko!" She heard in the distance. She felt her body being lifted as she saw Rai holding her and the little girl moving as fast as he could go to get out of the way of the tower. She was saved, her and the little girl, till she heard a shot. She felt Rai's body began to tumble then suddenly his body left theirs. He used the last bit of strength to toss them out of the way as he fell to the floor hold his thigh.

"RAI!" Kimiko screamed to watch as the bit of concrete cut her off. A piece went flying and hit her in the head. She fell back seeing her vision began to get blurry. Her world was disappearing before her eyes. She saw two of the soldiers above her.

"We found them." Was all she heard till she finally blacked out.


	14. The Chase

Hey guys! Gosh it's been a long time since I've updated and I do apologize. So this next part I guess you can call the 1st climax. It's separated into two parts. So please don't hate me! But anyways thanks for all the reviews and comments on the last Chapter they were awesome! These next few chapters will be tear jerkers although this chapter was rushed a little bit because I was doing this and homework at the same time so yea.

Please Review and enjoy!

Kimiko woke up with a sluggish feeling in her stomach. Her head pounded hard enough she could hear it echoing through her ear drums. With a groan she cracked open her eyes as her hearing was coming back to her. She heard cheering.

"Wh-" She tried to speak but stopped when she felt a sharp pain in her arms. She turned to see she was on her knees and her hands were tied to a pole behind her. She looked forward and saw people. Looked to be in the thousands all were cheering. Who were they? Where was she?

"Well good afternoon dear." Said a figure as it walked in front of her. It took her a moment to look up and see it was non other then Chase Young.

"Chase..." She hissed. "Where am I?" Her senses began to return and her memory as well. She remembered the attack. The building. Rai.

"Raimund-" She stopped when she looked to her left to see a figure in the same position she was in only with a old brown bag over his head.

"Chase what are you doing!" She yelled. Chase looked down at her and smile.

"Oh Kimiko, So intelligent and yet so naïve. " He bent down to grab her chin and forced it up to-look at him straight in the eyes. His eyes always made her feel uncomfortable. The golden color that was filled with so much hate.

"You have no idea who you got involved with. And now, you and your dear friend here will suffer the same fate." He told her as she stood up. She watched as he walked over to Rai feeling a sense of fear. He stood over Rai for a moment before hooking him right in the stomach and kicked him in the face.

"Stop!" Kimiko screamed. She was drowned out by cheering of the crowd as it got louder. Chase simply huffed as he watched Rai slump over slightly against his restraints.

"Trust me my dear Kimiko, the fun is about to begin." He walked to the edge of the stand that was more of a type of stage they were on and he looked towards the crowd.

"My dear people, today, we will get the revenge we have been searching for all these years. Today, my father, our king will finally rest in peace!" He called out and the crowd was growing wild. Chase looked to the side and there sat Jack Spicer with a computer in hand.

"Spicer! Begin the video feed." He commanded. With a groan, Jack did as he was told and clicked a few buttons before three large holographic screens appear in the sky over the platform. Three channels. Who was Chase trying to broadcast this too. Suddenly images appeared on the screen. On the far right appeared a man with a gray mustache and gray side burns. He was a well built man with brown hair with strips of gray to show his age. His green eyes were dark and fierce. Kimiko knew who this was. Marco Pedrosa. King of the Pedrosa empire. Raimundo's father. Kimiko felt her heart drop instantly. What was Chase planning? What was he gonna do.

The next person that showed up was a tall, slim, yellow skinned man with a large bald head. His robe was lazy looked and he had a innocent look on his head. He had a free lanced look on his face and Kimiko knew who he was as well. Grand Master Dashi, the one who ruled over the other houses. She looked over to the left and saw...her father. She wanted to scream out to him, call for help, run into his arms and cry but for some reason she couldn't work up the nerve to even raise her voice over a whisper. Maybe deep down she wanted to see what Chase was up to and to see what he was planning.

"Chase what do you think your doing?" Dashi asked as he leaned back in his chair in a relaxed manner. "You know your not supposed to have access to this channel this is reserved for those in power not for the princes use of play."

"Chase I thought you said you were going to bring back my daughter, not have a meeting." Torshiro retorted.

"This does not surprise me that scum like you would work with a traitor like Chase Young." Marco interrupted.

" Unless you speak for yourself you are not part of this conversation." Torshiro rebutted.

"You are right I am not so am I here Chase." Marco demanded. Chase stood there with his hands behind his back and smiled.

"I have brought you all here because my plans are being put into place and are moving at a quick pace. So here I would like to introduce to you-" He took a step back and showed Kimiko tied up.

"Daddy!" Kimiko yelled. She felt small tears in her eyes when she watched her father rise slightly ready to leap through the screen.

"Kimiko! Chase what have you-"

"Whats going on here Chase? You know this is a felony correct?" Dashi cut in. Marco stood there in silence.

"I see no felony being put in place here. My men and I attacked sector 8 yesterday simply to take their leader and interrogate him. But, Kimiko here got in my way and attacked my men so she is a accomplice to his crime as well." Chase said calmly.

"Chase, you read the letter. That thief kidnapped my daughter she was being held against her will! Release her at once!" Torshiro demanded. The smirk on Chases face grew larger. He dug into his pocket and pulled out a paper.

"You mean this one?" He said. "You see My good man, Kimiko wasn't kidnapped. I faked that letter shortly after she left and kept the real one with me." He opened the letter.

"Dear father" He began to read. "I am sorry but I am unable to fulfill the wishes you want from me. I will not marry Chase Young for he does not deserve my heart. Ouch that one hurt." He looked at Kimiko and chuckled. Kimiko growled. He continued reading. "I hope you will not be angry with me because I choose to follow my heart. I may not remember too much of my mother but I know one thing and that is she would tell me to do what I thought was right. I love you daddy. Kimiko." He finished. Kimiko's face grew a little red from the embarrassment. She looked up to her father and felt guilt.

"Then why did you lie Chase? What was your goal?" Torshiro asked a little weakly.

"Please pardon my interruption from this deception of Chase but I am still not understanding what this has to do with me." Marco asked crossing his arms.

"Oh please be patient Marco your surprise is coming up soon enough. "Chase said. "But to answer your question my goal was very simple. I followed Kimiko to see she ended up in sector 8 and she lead me straight to man who ruined my life." He said darkly. He looked at the other three men.

"As you all know my father, Charles Young, was reported dead from a heart failure, which was merely a ruse. And ever sense then, I have been hunting down the man who took him from me and my kingdom." He walked over to Rai and stood next to him.

"I have caught the leader of the rebellion. Known as Rai. And today I show who he is under the mask." Chase took hold of the bag that covered Rai's face and took it off with one quick movement.

"Gentlemen, May I introduce to you, the thorn in the royals side. Raimundo Alejandro Pedrosa. Prince of Pedrosa." He announced. Kimiko heard the crowd grow louder and looked up to see the surprised expressions on all of the men's faces except for Marco. Raimundo looked up just slightly to make eye contact with his father before looking back down.

"What sort of joke is this Chase?" He said coldly. Rai physically flinched. Kimiko was so shocked my Marco's expression but then thought. Rai has been missing for 14 years..it would surprise her if he didn't recognize him.

"Oh come now Marco your being so cold towards your own dear son." Chase grabbed Raimundo by the hair and pulled him up to get a hiss of pain in response.

"Then who's body did you bring in years ago and claimed to be my son?" He growled.

"Oh you mean that boy I found over by the river? He was just some kid who died of starvation who just so happened to look like your boy." He grinned.

"How do I know your not lying now?" He asked. His stern look. Kimiko could tell they were related. They were both stubborn.  
>"Marco?" A voice was heard. A woman appeared next to Marco. She was beautiful. Thin and tall with bright green eyes. Her hair pull in a pony tail with a crystal band holding back her bangs. She had bags under her eyes. She looked as if she hasn't slept in days.<p>

"Rose please not now." Marco announced. Raimundo's head shot up at the name. Kimiko put it together; that was his mother. She looked to see she was in the 4 way connection and looked down at Rai. Her eyes began to water.

"Raimundo.." She whispered. Everything went silent. She covered her mouth slightly before choking out a sad laugh.

"Raimundo..it's really-"

"I'm not your son! I am Rai not Raimundo." Rai cut in with a croak in his voice. Kimiko watched as the queen's light from her eyes dimmed slightly. It looked as though her entire being was crushed in one single swoop.

"Aw what a sad moment for the Pedrosa but I have business to discuss. So fearless leader, you are not the prince?" He asked with a grin. For a moment, Rai just stared at him. Hatred fuming.

"...No..." He growled. With a hollow chuckle he stood and sighed.

"Very well I guess my quest continues on."

"Chase, why are you looking for him?" Dashi said. He face growing more serious.

"Well you see, when the prince first disappeared, he ended up at my home. My father felt bad for the poor child and invited him to stay at our home. What my father didn't know was that this, this child was quite dark. The prince killed my father in cold blood and ran away." He called out getting an angry response from the crowd.

"That child is a murderer and I have spent my entire life to prove of his demolished innocence and how the Pedrosa's are nothing more then ruthless brutes!"

"That's not true!" Rai yelled out in complete anger. "Your father brought me to your home and used me as an experiment. Your father attacked me and I defended myself and it was your father who was the monster and your nothing more then his spawn from hell!" The silence fell quickly after his outbursts and Chase stared at him.

"Welcome back to the living dear prince." He announced. Kimiko could see it. Raimundo's life tumbling down upon him. Everything crashing.

"Chase I demand you release him immediately!" Marco called out.

"Not likely. He is charged with murder."

"And he is the prince and he will be charge in the Pedrosa courts."

"If you take me you take me as prisoner. I have abandoned my post as prince which is treason." Rai spoke up. Marco watched his son carefully.

"This is ridiculous! Chase, Raimundo mentioned experimentation what does this mean? You know you are not allowed to have those certain privileges." Dashi Announced.

"Oh he means my attempts into creating the ultimate human." he started. "You see, for years my father has been taking various types of people to create the ultimate soldier. First he started with average villagers. They didn't suffice. Then he moved to royals. He first took your precious wife." He looked at Mr. Tohomiko. "My did she scream with so much pain. A shame she was a failure. She was a determined fighter." He taunted.

"You bastard Ill kill you!" Torshiro screamed.  
>"Now now, I haven't even got to the best part. You see after the passing of your wife my father was about ready to give up. But then, little Rai-rai appeared at our door looking for shelter. We offered it. We used him as well. And he, was the key. After some re-adjustments, we modified to be used on anyone. A soldier who feels no pain, injures just barely, A fighter." He walked over to Rai and undid his ties and forced him to stand up. Kimiko looked at the pain in his face. His body is rejecting it again. Kimiko's heart was pounding at a fast rate.<p>

"Come now Raimundo. Let's put on a show. I must say I also used his serum on myself with some extra modifications. I am the best. So lets dance." Raimundo stood there with a solid face and single sweat drop went down the side of his face.

"No." He said. Chase tilted his head slightly and pulled out a dagger.

"You don't play, she's out of the game." He grabbed Kimiko by the jaw and put the dagger under her chin.

"Chase!" Dashi and Torshiro yelled at the same time.

"Rose! Tell the general to rally up the troops!"

"Now before you men decide to attack me ill let you know I already have my army at each of your walls. Before you try to get to me you'll have to get to them." Chase told them.

"Chase you'll regret this." Dashi said coldly.

"Now now Dashi, now come on now Raimundo. Let's show them what were made of." Chase pressed the dagger deeper into Kimiko's skin gaining a small whimper from her. He took a deep breath and took his stance. Chase grinned and stood up.

"Let's begin." Chase charged at him. Rai took a deep breath before jumping in the air dodging the attack. He took hold of the back of Chase's neck and swung him from behind and he landed right on his back. Chase countered him by kicking right in the stomach and brought himself back up to his feet. Raimundo took a second to get his footing and charged back at him. Chase started to speak as they fought.

"As you see gentlemen, the strength and the speed and agility is increased a hundred times over. No normal human can fight this way." Chase dodged a kick from Rai and quickly punched him in the face. Raimundo lost his balance and fell on the ground and started to cough.

"Of course my strength is much more equipped then the original." Raimundo got on all fours and looked at Chase.

"You're an idiot you know that?" He said in a rough whisper. While they fought Kimiko was tugging and pulling at her tied hands, loosening the slightly little by little.

"Oh and explain to me how I am the idiot, boy." Chase said with a smirk.

"If you honestly believe this, this thing your dad cooked up makes you stronger your crazy. It kills you slowly. I'm dying. So if you think I'm the one that passed your insane." He wiped away the blood that trickled down the side of his mouth. His now burning red eyes looking straight into Chase's soul.

"Congratulations Chase, you came up with the best torture device ever." He said before he passed out. The awe's in the crowed roared through the air. Chase stared down at Raimundo, to see the blood still dripping from the side of his mouth.

Kimiko had her chance, she slipped out of her restraints and grabbed the dagger that Chase dropped. Suddenly a loud boom came from the far side of one of the walls.

"Come and get it Mother Fuckers!" Screamed a voice. Nikki! Kimiko looked to see Nikki, Clay, Omi, and everyone else from sector 8 plowing their way through the wall. Kimiko was so happy to see them. She turned to see Chase was distracted from the new guests she took her chance. She ran up to him and jabbed the dagger in the side of his neck. A pained hiss came from his mouth as he slowly removed it. Kimiko backed up and gasped. Chase cracked his neck and looked at her. He wasn't bleeding! Kimiko stood her ground.

"You were always so interesting to be around Kimiko. Shameful really you wont stand next to me to help me build my new empire." He said to her.

"I'd rather die!" She yelled.

"That can be done." He was about to jump at her when all of a sudden, one of the hummers came flying onto the stage and flew right on top of Chase.

"Hey there lil' lady." Clay said hopping out of the car.

"Clay!" Kimiko yelled giving him a hug.

"How did you-"

"No time to explain. Nikki's right behind we need to get out of here." Clay said.

"How? The only way out is the front and that's all blocked off now." She said.

"I can help you out." said a voice. The two looked over to see Jack standing there.

"No. Way." Kimiko said.

"Hey I know this place like the back of my hand. I want my kingdom and I think Raimundo is the only one who can do it. I think I can work up an antidote for him in the lab downstairs. Lets go and ill help you guys if you help me." Jack suggested. Kimiko and Clay looked at each other.

"Guys lets move!" Nikki said running up the stage.

"We don't really have a choice..." Kimiko said. The truck next to them started to move.

"And that ain't gonna hold'em either. " Clay said.

"Lead the way." Kimiko said. Clay Ran over to Raimundo and picked him up. He felt like dead weight and Clay's heart got heavy.

"Come on!" Jack yelled out leading them into Chase's castle. They five of them disappeared in the castle and when they disappeared Chase came bursting out of the broken vehicle and looked in the direction of where they just entered his castle and he chuckled. Let the chase begin.


	15. The Chase pt2

_**Hello everyone! Look an update! I am so proud I got this one up pretty early haha. But here's part two and I hope you guys do enjoy. This was a little harder to write because I had to hold back my sobs. Ugh I'm a wimp. But I'm really curious what is your guy's opinion on the new Xiaolin Chronicles? I like it I think it's cute but tell me what you guys think. Anyways please enjoy!**_

_**And please Review!**_

They ran through the corridors, dodging all the guards. As much as Nikki and Clay wanted to fight all of them, they needed to find the lab. They followed Kimiko and Jack farther and farther down into the castle. Clay feared that Omi wouldn't be able to catch up with them in the end. He mostly worried for Rai. He looked down at him and his heart sunk. He remembered first meeting him. How he rescued him from Jack's robotic army and saw potential in him and allowed him to join the rebellion. After years of working with each other they became very good friends. Never once had he ever seen Rai fall, never been wounded to the point where he wouldn't stop. But now, here he was, in his arms, completely dead weight. His breaths were so shallow and his body was getting cold. He's coming to his end and there was nothing that he could do about it. Clay felt so stupid for not seeing something was wrong in the first place. He never questioned what Rai did because he always knew what to do. He was the leader, not Clay. He gritted his teeth as they kept running with Nikki right behind him.

"Turn now!" Jack called and they all followed. They ended up in a large lab with the favored color of chrome.

"Shut the doors and block it with something! Set Rai down over here." Jack said as he started to dig through some old papers to look at some of the formulas. Clay set Rai down on the examining table before turning to the door and grabbing a couple of the larger tables and put them in front of the door. Nikki walked over to Kimiko who was looking down at Rai. She looked to see his chest rise slightly before slumping away. Nikki growled and turned to see Jack reading some of the papers he held.

"What's the hold up man? We got someone dying over here!" She yelled. She saw from the corner of her eye that Kimiko flinched slightly. Oops. She didn't mean to say that the way she did. She is frustrated. Scared. She didn't want Rai to die. He was like her brother. Him and John had always been to her hip. When John died all she had was Rai and if he dies... She shook that Idea away. No. There is no what Rai would leave them. Not now, not never.

"It's a little harder to do. Rai's condition started years ago I have to look back to that date to get the right variables. I need time." He explained. Suddenly, there was a loud bang at the door. It nearly knocked Clay off his feet.

"Work fast!" Nikki called helping with the door.

Kimiko walked over to Jack, even though she wanted to keep watching Rai. She wanted to watch and make sure he wasn't taking his final breaths but she knew she wasn't any use if she just stood there.

"What can I help you with? I'm pretty well taught with bio genetics and such." She explained. Jack nodded and gave her somethings to look for. Variables, methods used, everything. Kimiko watched as he twirled the substances together and watch it turn a bright orange color. The banging on the door was getting louder. It was Chase. His strength increased so much he sounds like a elephant stampede. Chase has done all this for a folklore told to children. He truly was insane.

"Come on Jack. Little faster would be great!" Clay called through his grunts while trying to hold back the strong force of Chase. Nikki was sliding against the floor from each blow. Kimiko and Jack hurried to finish what they hope would help.

"Okay so here's the deal. I'm not completely positive if this will work or not so bear with me. If it does great." He said.

"And if it doesn't?" Kimiko said a little shaken.

"Well it really doesn't make a difference." A said bluntly. He walked over to one of the walls that had a code key on it and type some numbers. And the wall opened up to show a digger type of machine.

"This is my drill. I made this as an escape plan to get out of here just in case." He said and walked over to Rai with the syringe of the strange substance. He tilted his head to the side and put the needle in his neck and released it.

"That should do." He said before slinging on of Rai's arms over his shoulder and pulled him up. He grunted not realizing how heavy he was. He walked onto the digger with Rai and Kimiko went over to switch places with Nikki to let her get on the carrier too. Kimiko and Clay counted to three before letting go of the table that was holding the door back and dashed for the opened carrier. A moment later the door was busted open and Chase stood there for a moment, grinning as he watched the digger take off in the depths of the underground. He sighs as he pulls out his communicator.

"Wuya." He calls. A bit of static then a crackly voice comes on the other end.

"What is it Chase?" She asks.

"Get the troops ready. Were are ready for the 3rd phase of the plan. The prince will no longer be a worry." He says as he walks out of the lab back out to finish his conversation and the official death of the prince.

The digger was at high speed. Getting as far away from the castle as possible. The inside of the digger was small. Only really enough room for two and pushing three. Jack and Nikki were in the two front seats while Clay and Kimiko were in the back with Rai who laid straight on the floor. Jack instructed that he lays flat which they had done. Kimiko sat on her knees watching him. She was waiting for something. To show whether it would work or not. Just something that would put ease in her heart. She looked back at Jack.

"How long will do you think this will take to be in affect?" She heard him sigh.

"I don't know." He simply said. Before she said anything else, she sensed movement. She looked down to see Rai was scrunching his face. He cracked open an eye slightly.

"k-k-Kim.." He gasped. Kimiko moved closer. Her heart pounding watching his forehead form little beads of sweat.

"I'm right here Rai.." She said quietly. He started to grunt and tightening his hands into balls. He started to lift his legs in discomfort. His breaths were becoming erratic with sounds of a whimper and gasping.

"What's wrong tell me." He was feeling there was something terribly wrong. Clay was quickly standing over her. All she got as was scream in pain as he arched his back as he screamed. He clenched his eyes shut and tried rolling over on his side but Clay quickly grabbed him by the shoulders and rolled him back.

"Jack!" Kimiko screamed. Jack growled as he got up.

"Take the wheel." He told Nikki/

"Yea give the girl the wheel to a 40 ton drilling machine." She mumbled taking hold of the wheel as he went back to see what was going on. Raimundo's screams were audible beyond belief. Complete cries of pain echoing through his ear. He knew what was happening and wished he was wrong. He stood over Rai as he continued to lash out in pain and fear. He looked down at Kimiko who knelled there in complete shock unknowing what to do in this situation. She looked up to Jack for answers. Something!

"His body is rejecting what I gave him.." He said in a monotone voice. Kimiko wasn't following.

"What is that suppose to mean!" She cried. She was searching. Searching for an answer. Something. Something to tell that this was just a side affect. It will be over soon. Just something so she doesn't have to think about how a bareal should be placed.

"The serum didn't work. If anything it made it worse. It was a long shot and I warn you people before hand!" He yelled. His yell didn't surpass Raimundo. His wails were out of control. Tears of utter pain dripped from his eyes. Held down by Clay, He gripped at Kimiko's arm which surprised her greatly. He looked at her, shaking, crying.

"Pl-please..K-k-Kill me." He hiccuped slightly. She couldn't believe her ears. Her shock was sinking in.

"I can't..." She whispered slightly." He looked at her. She couldn't stand the look of his eyes. Those orbs she would stare into day in and day out. The ones that were filled with so much strength and hope were empty and cold and glistened with fear. She felt her eyes fill with the tears of fear. She didn't want to loose him. Not like this. He didn't deserve this. She grabbed his hand that shook dangerously in hers. He looked away and looked in front of him and his posture changed. He looked of acceptance. Kimiko looked in his direction and saw Jack standing there, with a 9mm in hand. Kimiko didn't think, She stood up and screamed as she grabbed the hand gun and moved it away so it wasn't aiming at Rai anymore.

"What are you doing!" Jack screamed trying to get her off of him.

"What are YOU doing !" She screamed back.

"I'm relieving him from this pain! Would you rather him suffer!" He yelled. That was the question. Did she want him to die like he was or take the easy way out. The body rejected the serum but that shouldn't have created such a sequence of pain. No. Kimiko was convinced there was still a way. She took the gun away from Jack and through it up where Nikki was. She bent down next to Rai again to see the sweat was staining his clothes and his breaths were hard.

"Raimundo please listen to me. You are strong and you can fight this! This world needs you. We need you! I need you! So please don't give up!" She tried to get through to him through his pleads of wanting death, Then suddenly, his body was shaking and it wasn't a normal shake. His eyes rolled back and Kimiko was lost.

"He's hav'n a seizure!" Clay yelled letting go of his shoulders. Kimiko looked back up at Jack who simply scowled at her and walked back to the front. When the fit was finally subsided, the entire hold went silent and all that was heard was Kimiko's small voice.

"Raimundo..I love you." Silence was her response.


	16. Sirens call the Lonley

_** A/N: Hello everyone! I am so sorry everyone for this very late update. I have a hard time with this story but I promise I will finish this story! I promise I will! But if you guys like Ninja Turtles I have a new story up for that so go check it out **__** But please review and tell me what you think on this chapter. I tried my hardest I swear!**_

_**I love you guys 3**_

_**Please Reivew!**_

The light of the cavern was limited. Only light from the small crystals that hung at the top of the ceiling shone against the pool of water from the spring at the bottom. Kimiko sat on the roof Jack's digger, resting her head on top of her folded hands as she hugged herself tightly against her chest. She watched the still water, reflecting the beauty of the crystals so gracefully. The beauty shone brightly in the darkness and Kimiko felt a little of content fill her till it slowly diminished. They stopped in this underground spring for the comfort of Raimundo. His breathing rasp, gaining a fever every so often. For hours they have spent watching, keeping track of his heart rate, making sure it didn't falter. Clay had finally convinced Kimiko to rest herself while they stopped and possibly start talking about a plan to fix this enormous mess this happened.

Kimiko sighed to herself. She was completely exausted. But, something deep down kept telling her she couldn't sleep. She couldn't miss anything, if she were to relax, she could Raimundo. She couldn't help but to think back to her mother. She ignored the signs, she didn't help, and she couldn't. She was completely helpless. Like now, Raimundo has protected her, saved her, and risked his life for not only her but everyone in sector 8. He was the hero, and now he was on the line of death and she couldn't do anything about it.

Her train of thought was interrupted by the sound of someone clanging against the metal. She looked to see Nikki walking up and placing herself next to Kimiko and leaning back against the huge metal machine. Kimiko was always so shocked by how calm and collected Nikki was right now. She is usually up and crazed with anger but right now she was completely content and in a way it angered Kimiko.

"So, when are ya gonna stop moping?" She asked. Looking at her sternly. Kimiko gave out a sarcastic huff of breath.

"Do you expect me to be excited for our little adventure right now?" She asked.

"I expect you to be happy." She said bluntly. Kimiko looked at her confused, unable to tell if she is being sarcastic or not.

"Enlighten me then, how do you suppose I should be happy. Happy that the houses are at full blown war? Happy Chase Young has over powered even my father and destroyed sector 8? Or should I be happy that Raimundo is lying unconscious and can be lost at any moment?" Kimiko asked, feeling the tears threatening to fall. Nikki looked at her for a few more seconds before finally deciding to sit up completely. She looked at Kimiko, no humor anywhere in sight, this is the most serious she has ever seen Nikki ever sense she met her.

"Be happy, that sector 8 is finally seen as a threat, be happy to know your father is still alive, be happy to know we can find a way to fight off chase and most of all, be happy Rai is a fighter and won't give up. He will fight till his very last breath, he has too much to loose if he stops now and I know damn well that he will never live with something like that and so do you. So stop crying over the petty stuff and look at the good. Were here and were fighting. What's not to be happy about that?" She asked with a soft smile. Kimiko didn't realize she was crying till she felt the tears drip off her chin. Kimiko gasped slightly before rubbing the stray water droplets away and gave a pitiful laugh.

"I am so worried about him Nikki, I can't imagine loosing him." She admitted.

"Well then don't." Nikki responded with a little bit of attitude. "You think like that you just might, have faith. It's Rai were talking about here, something like this will never stop a lunatic like him." She chuckled softly. Kimiko smiled back and looked back at the still water, her eyes wondering farther to see small paths that lead farther through the cave and deeper parts of the spring.

"Why don't we go for a walk? It's quite beautiful and it would defidently allow me to clear my head." Kimiko suggested lightly. Nikki's face harden instantly.

"That's not a good idea." She admitted. Kimiko looked at her, cocking her head slightly wishing for more of an explanation from Nikki.

"These underground caves are not something regular humans should be in, in the first place. I tried to tell Jack about the sirens that live down here but as long as we stick together, they'll leave us alone." Nikki said.

"Sirens? What are those?" She asked. Nikki raised her brows in shock and then settles into understandment.

"To you princess, they are known as mermaids. But, these aren't pretty princesses that fall in love with a prince and get feet. These creatures disguise themselves as someone you miss and truly cherish and mislead you to think they are that person. They trick you into the water with them and then they try and eat you." She explained, with a hint of pain with her expression. Kimiko scrunched her nose in disgust. To think that there are creatures out there that pull such extremes for food was a disturbing concept. Kimiko was watching Nikki as it look as if she was in deep thought. Something clicked and Kimiko said.

"You fell for their play yes?" Nikki tensed at the sudden question. She looked over to Kimiko, looking for reassurance that she is trustworthy of something so painful and what molded her into who she was today. Nikki pulled her knees to her chest and faced forward, allowing herself to be hypnotized by the dancing colors of the water, giving her a calmer look in life, allowing her to give her the strength to tell her tale.

"I had a friend. Her name was Keiko. Her and her parents were foreigners and were forced to come to sector 8, now this is before Rai took charge. I was only a kid but to me, Keiko was like my sister. She was a lot like you actually." She looked at Kimiko and gave her a warm smile. "Her parents were doctors that worked strictly for Chase and his needs. When they refused to heal wounds for some unknown reason, he banished them and I couldn't ask for a better gift from god." She took a shaky breath.

"You see, it was hard for me. The only ones I knew or ever associated myself with were John and Rai. My brothers who wrestled, and smelt bad, and ate funny food. Hehe, I was considered the baby brother." She smirked. "Not many girls liked being around me because I acted so much like a boy. Keiko was the first friend that was a girl and she was my best friend." She paused for a while, looking out in the distance. "One day, some of Chase's troops came in and started terrorizing everyone. Her parents, they did everything they could. So many people were hurt." He voice lowered almost to a whisper. "They were taken out trying to save one of the boys that got hurt." Licking her lips, she rubbed her face, erasing any signs of her tears. Kimiko understood this pain far too well; reliving memories was a hard burden that everyone bared.

"Keiko was asleep. They sat fire to her house, and . . . . she never came out." Her voice cracked slightly, taking in a shaky breath. "About a month later, I got in a fight with John and I left. I somehow ended up in one of the underground caves and I met a siren." Kimiko observed Nikki carefully, the falter in her breath, the straining of her fingertips and she gripped tightly to the pant legs she wore, watching carefully when she bit her bottom lip in hesitation to finish her story. Kimiko although felt a slight bit of happiness in this. She was finally opening up to Kimiko. After months of knowing one another, she was finally given the chance to actually and officially meet Nicole. Kimiko took a hesitant reach and placed her hand over the shaking fingers on Nikki's knee. Nikki looked up at her, glossy eyes searching for reasons she left unknown. Kimiko gave her a soft smile, to allow her to finish her healing.

Nikki took another deep breath.

"When I met the siren, it was Keiko. She was smiling at me and was so happy. There were no burns, no blood, no sadness, just a happy feeling she gave me. She told me to go with her. If I did, then I wouldn't have to suffer anymore. I so alone and I was so depressed I-I went with her."

"The next thing I knew, I was drowning. But it was weird, I wasn't scared. I felt like this is what I deserved for never being able to protect her. But, at the same time I felt guilty. I felt selfish for wanting my end when I still had my brothers with me." She smiled lightly. "But, I couldn't get out of the Sirens grasp and I felt nothing but regret and everything went blank." She suddenly sat up making Kimiko flinch slightly. "But I woke up and I had Rai standing over me. He came looking for me because he was worried. He saved my life and when we got back, I saw John cry for the first time." Her features soften at the thought of her brother who she missed dearly. She looked at Kimiko.

"I'm telling you this not because you shouldn't go on your walk, which you shouldn't. I'm telling you this because Rai gave me my hope back. He showed me what life is worth. So please, please don't ever give up on him. He doesn't have John in his life anymore to sit there a physically tell him what's right and what's wrong. You're in his corner now and he needs you more then ever." She told her. That tugged tightly to the strings in Kimiko's heart. She leaned over and pulled Nikki into a tight embrace. She hugged tightly to the younger as if she were to let go, so would this moment.

"Thank you Nikki. Thank you for trusting me." She whispered in her ear. Kimiko felt the heave in Nikki's shoulders and smiled lightly.

They stayed like that for a while till she finally let go, watching Nikki wipe away her tears and smiled at Kimiko. Kim got up and stretched her muscles.

"Im going to go check on him." She said before disappearing into the digger.

She landed with a thump in the small machine to show that Clay and Jack must have gone out for fresh air themselves. When she made it to the front, she froze. Dread was drowning her in the inside as she looked down on the floor to show there was nothing. Raimundo was supposed to be there, suppose to be watched. Terror filled her mind as she ran out of the machine to find Clay and Jack relaxing on a nearby rock. She ran up to them, panting roughly. Clay, noticing the stress on Kimiko's face it had something to do with Raimundo. He just needed some air and saw Jack starting to struggle keeping a close watch on Raimundo. Guilt rushed over him quickly before he even started to talk.

"What's wrong there Kimiko?" He asked, hoping, praying it wasn't something that wasn't able to be changed.

"Raimundo's gone!" She shrieked. Clay was now drowning in the guilt he had put upon himself.

* * *

><p>Stumbling, scrambling more like it is what Raimundo was doing, going through the dark pass ways in the cave. He woke up in searing pain but something was pulling him. Something was calling for him. Struggling, breathing in large gasps of air, he pushed past his limits and followed this signal that echoed in his head, pestering him until he listened. Besides the physical pain he felt, inside, he was empty, lonely. His mind was cluttered to the point there was no way of organizing it so he allowed the embarrassment, the shame and the pain to pile up and block out any light. He failed. He couldn't fight Chase, he couldn't save John, and he couldn't defend off his own people because he gave in to the ergs of the chemicals that bored themselves deep within him. He couldn't fight anymore against its demands. He hated himself more then anything else. He wished Chase would have just finished him off right then and there so he wouldn't have to face the world again. But now, he was awake, he was aware, but deep down, he just didn't care anymore.<p>

He stumbled over some rocks and his head was fuzzy. He found a wall and allowed his clammy hand follow suit of the hard surfaced wall. He was so tired but was tired of sleeping. He needed something. He needed a reason. He had to find it soon or else…

He stopped when he felt a cool sensation at the bottom of his feet and to revile to be water from the spring. It felt so nice for his over heated body. His torn clothes, still hanging limply over his body, clang to the heat his body produced. He sighed slightly, leaning against the wall. He has never in his life felt so lost. He ran his shaky fingers through his hair before clutching his chest as the pain arose clutching his lungs tightly. He grunted and pain showed brightly on his face.

"My my my, never thought you would get this bad bro." A voice called. Raimundo thought his heart stopped. He knew that voice. He knew it all too well. It the water stood what seemed to be a spirit. The breath got caught his throat. Eyes wide in desperation. He felt like crying. He didn't care if this was a hallucination or what all he knew is that he saw, his best friend, his brother, his back up, his reasoning. He saw John standing in the water, looking at him, smiling with his grade a smirk. Rai's heart swelled to the point he thought it was about to burst into a thousand pieces.

"John..." He croaked before the pain in his chest made him fall to the ground, clutching tightly in hopes the pain would subside for at least a moment, just one moment so he can have just a little bit of peace.

He looked up slowly to see John walking over to him. His smile, so warm and so welcoming, Raimundo couldn't hold back the small stream of tears glide down his cheek.

"I came to get you Rai." He said. Raimundo blinked his eyes a few times.

"what?" He asked quietly.

"I see your suffering. I can take you away. You won't have to be lonely anymore. Brothers for life remember?" John held out his hand for Raimundo to take. Rai's heart felt as if it was a stampede of emotions. Something wasn't right about this but, he was so, so tired. He gulped and took a long, slow breath. He reached out his hand, taking hold of the others arm. His hand was warm and soft. Was this really John? Was he really going to be relieved of his burdens?

John started to pull the hazed Raimundo to his feet, missing the smirk that came to his face that followed with a low growl.

"Raimundo!" A voice shrieked loudly. Both boys turned to see Kimiko running with determination with a knife in hand. Quickly enough, she slashed through John's wrist, making him let go of Raimundo, which made him fall back down to the ground with a thump. Raimundo looked up with a dazed look to see Kimiko standing in front of him, blocking John to get near him.

John growled, stepping back in the water. He narrowed his eyes at Kimiko, still holding his bleeding hand. Kimiko didn't move but kept her stance and glared at John.

Suddenly, john's appearance began to change. It changed to a demotic creature, snarling face with a rotting fin where the legs should be. This creature was something you would find in a horror film. It continued snarling and snapping it's large, powerful jaws at Kimiko but continued to back away into the water. Once she felt the beast was at a good distance, she looked back at Raimundo. His face was in complete horror. His eyes opened as wide as they could and the undeniable shake came to his features. Kimiko bent down and he backed away from her, hitting his back against the wall. Kimiko's heart broke seeing him like this. Raimundo always showed the world how strong he always was. He easy it was for him to make the tough decisions. But, now Kimiko saw how broken he really was. He was stripped of his power, starved of the power he was and now, he doesn't know how to respond to it.

Kimiko took a deep breath before wrapping her arms around his shaking figure. She squeezed in reassurance hoping her actions can show how much she wants to be there for him, how much his well being affect her.

"Raimundo I am so sorry. Please, please don't shut me out. I love you. I will always be here for you just please, don't loose who you are." She whispered in his ear. Raimundo just sat there, not fully understanding what she was saying to him. His mind was somewhere else, not anywhere in particular just, somewhere no one could reach. His mind was screaming at him, screaming to chase down the bastard who pretended to be his best friend, to make them suffer. But, his heart, his poor abused heart was telling him to embrace this body, this person who is offering their affection and their comfort to him.

Slowly, he brought his weak arms and wrapped them around Kimiko's waist and held her as tightly as he could. He buried his face into the crook of her neck and let out a light sob. His emotions were out of control and he didn't know how to control them. He decided to allow them to flow. The soothing hand running through his hair, comforting his softly was enough to put his mind at little ease.

Kimiko allowed Raimundo to finally release his frustrations and she was more then ready to take on the task to be his rock in his time of need. She looked to the side and her eyes widen slightly. A figure stood in the middle of the water just as John did. A woman with long black hair and beaming blue eyes stood there with her beauty grazing the darkness of the cave. Kimiko sucked in a tight gasp of air before turning away. As much as she wished and hoped for, she knew her mother would never visit her in such a sinful place.


	17. The Pedrosas

The quiet was interrupted by the exclamatory yawn coming from the digger from the underground caves.

"Ahhhh!" Raimundo said, stretching his joints out then relaxing once again. "Jack you need to get some comforters or something in here." He said, reaching up to grab the cup of tea that was being handed to him by Clay.

"Well excuse me high and mighty, didn't exactly have the time to put in the furnishing." Rai smiled and took a sip of the tea he was handed. Although it was only packaged, it tasted like gold touching his taste buds. Jack bent down next to him, placing a hand on his forehead.

"How are you feeling?" He asked. Rai gulped down more of his drink.

"I feel great actually. The best I've felt in years. To think just a couple more days of rest could make me feel so much better." He said.

"Your body has finally drained out the last bit of the drug. Incredible, your body rejected my serum at first but now, I can't find any sign of it."

"Well whatever you did Jack you saved my life. Thank you." Raimundo said with sincerity. Jack stood there for a second and scoffed.

"Yeah whatever." Rai chuckled.

"So boss, what do we do now?" Clay asked. Rai swirled his tea around a bid and looked up.

"Chase thinks I'm dead, that gives us the upper hand. This is the time to attack." He looked over to Jack.

"Do you think you can remake the serum again? Chase said he used my DNA as a base. Similar components right?" Rai asked.

"Oh sure I can make it again. But where do you think I should do that? The rocks around us wont suffice." Jack said sarcastically.

"I can get you a lab." Rai said.

"Oh yeah? Where? Because unless you're goanna pull one out of your butt I'm not seeing one." Jack said.

"Were going to Pedrosa." Rai answered.

"Whoa no way." Nikki said.

"Rai that's not a good idea." Kimiko mentioned. "What happens if they arrest you?" She asked.

"That's why I wont be with you." He said. He looked back at Jack. " You, Clay, Nikki, and Kim are going to go to the lab. I'm going to distract the King. If I'm lucky I might be able to convince him to help. He is my father. But, if it does turn south, you can finish up the plan." He looked back at Kimiko. "Chase has the same base as I do. If that's true, then Jack's serum should be able to stop him and bring him down. I'm counting on you guys." He said, standing up.

"Rai are you sure this is what you want to do?" Clay asked. He nodded.

"I need to have a family reunion sooner or later." For a moment all of them were quiet until Jack clasped his hands together.

"Alright then! Lets pack up and head for Pedrosa." He stated going up to the cockpit. Nikki and Clay headed outside to grab the items to pack them in. Kimiko was about to follow but felt Raimundo grab her arm.

"Kimiko." He said. She looked up at him.

"Yes?" She said quietly. He took a breath and swallowed.

"I wanted to say thank you." He said. She tilted her head.

"For what?"

"For not giving up on me. I kept falling in this black pit and I wanted to give up so bad but.." He stopped for a moment and pulled her closer. "I kept hearing your voice. I kept hearing you calling me back. Thank you, for saving me." He leaned down, planting a small, chastity kiss and smiled. She blushed and smiled up at him.

"I won't ever let you fall. I will always be at your side." She placed a palm on his cheek. "That's why I am going with you to see the king." He laughed.

"I wasn't expecting any less."

They traveled for a few hours towards the Pedrosa home. The wall was tall and covered with military from every angle. They stopped yards before they reached the wall, hiding the drill within the trees. When they stepped out, they hid quietly, seeing Chase's men lined up at the wall. Rai analyzed the area with a clean sweep and thought of a way in. He turned back to the others.

"Alright, looks like we can't go in this way. But, as a kid I found a way around when I wanted to sneak out." He pointed towards the river. "That river has a sewer entrance we can get into. From there is where we will separate." He looked at Jack. "During a time of war the lab should be empty. Once you are done come back to the drill. If we are not back by sundown, you head off without us." Rai explained. All nodded with understanding. He looked back, seeing for an opening. He held his hand up as a signal. Once he saw the soldiers move towards the left, he brought his hand down and they moved towards the river. With stealth, they each drew themselves under the water and headed for the tunnel that headed into the sewer.

Taking in enough breath, they each dived all the way in and went through the tunnel. Once a little in, they were stopped by a large grate that stopped larger objects to go in. Raimundo signaled for Clay to help. Both grabbed a side of the grate and tugged with all their might. After a few rough pulls, the grate finally came undone and they were able to pass through. Luckily for them that the entrance was there before they ran out of breathe.

Each of them came out of the water gasping for air. Jack leaned up against one of the walls.

"Okay, enough swim class for me." He whined.  
>'Suck it up buttercup." Nikki said through gasps. Raimundo stood up straight and looked around to see the ways to go. On the left was a latter that led up to the castle kitchen.<p>

"Alright, Kimiko and I go up this way." He looked back the last three. "You all will head down the rest of the tunnel. At the very end will be a latter that looks like this. Go up it and you'll enter the prison section. From there you will head down the north wing and turn on your first right. That's where the lab is. Do not engage any of the guards just get in and get out am I clear?" He spoke, all of which nodded with agreement. "Good."

With that the group separated. Raimundo watched as the three ran down the sewer line before disappearing the in the darkness. He looked back at Kimiko and smiled.

"Lets go." With that, they headed up the latter, pushing against the cover above. The wood was moved to show it was a secrete entrance through the kitchen. They both made their way up, looking around seeing it was completely deserted. Rai helped Kimiko helped and together they made their way to the halls. Kimiko took the time to admire the décor of the home. The feel of the old Victorian set up reminded her of home. A pang of sadness hit her heart. Her father must be so worried. She felt the hand holding hers tighten. She looked up to see Raimundo smiling at her. She was safe, and so was her father. At least with Raimundo they would be.

They scaled the walls quietly, dodging the guards as they ran around the home taking in more preparations against the invading army.

"The king should be in his quarters. We're almost there." He said quietly. Just as they missed over another corner, a tune caught his ears. He stopped suddenly, making Kimiko run into him.

"Rai?" She said quietly. He didn't respond to her. A strange look caught on his face. It was a mixture of sadness and confusion. He stood up straight and with no worry, let go of Kimono's hand and walked over to a door that was cracked open. The tune of the piano was playing. A soft song played with sorrowed hands.

He placed a hand on the door placing his head towards the door, listening.

"_The birds fly away as the clouds come_

_The trees will sing the sad lullaby,_

_They will bloom and sing to the forest rain,_

_My dear sleep, sleep away." _

Raimundo couldn't stop himself as he pushed the door open. There it was, the piano in the middle of a large room with an elegant woman, aged like wine. Her fingers moving against the keys of the musical instrument. His sudden intrusion perked her interest as she looked up, gasping in shock. Raimundo couldn't find any words to speak. But, the moment he tried to move, a spear was under his neck and a guard at each of his sides.

"Rai!" Kimiko yelled with a guard holding her back. The woman who was sitting at the piano stood up slowly.

"Madam, let us dispose of this traitor." One of the guards said, trying to pull him back but he wouldn't budge, his eyes fixated on the woman moving towards him. She ignored the guard, biting her lip as she approached Raimundo. She tilted her head to the side, reaching up to place a hand on his warm, clammy cheek.

"Are you. My son? Are you…my boy I lost so long ago?" She asked, the tears pulling at her eyes. The question she asked, signaled for the guards to move the spears for her to have better access. Raimundo looked down at her, grabbing her hand with his.

"_The bees fly through the wind,_

_The rose bleeds through the sky."_ He smiled at her, the tears silently falling down his cheek. The queen choked, hearing him sing this song.

"_My dear, do not fear, for winter will fade,_

_And the sun will rise as you_

_My prince fly." _He finished with a broken laugh.

The queen stood there for a moment, smiling and crying at once.

"Raimundo, my son. My boy you have come back to me." So quick it was almost missed, she pulled him into a tight hug, wrapping her arms around his neck. Raimundo responded giving the hug as tightly as she was.

"I've missed you mama. Forgive me for making you worry." He whispered into her neck. She pulled back.

"You're alive my boy. You look well, you are my son, I could never be angry with you. You have come home." She spoke with broken words, too excited to be calm. Again she pulled him in with a hug. Kimiko watched from the side, now that the guard has released her. It was so pure, this raw emotion Raimundo was expressing. He truly, truly missed his mother.

The sound of steps behind her caught her attention and when she found out who it was, she stepped out of the way.

"Rose?" The voice caught both of their attention. Rai slowly released his mother and turned towards the door to see a man dressed with only the finest, standing tall. The King, Marco, stood there with his mouth open.

"Raimundo?" He asked quietly. Rai stood there for a moment more before turning to his mother once more and smiled to her before walking up to his father. His father stood almost six inches taller than Raimundo, towering him. Raimundo felt himself shake, seeing the stance of his father. Always so strong, too strong for him to handle. Raimundo took a breath before bowing slightly.

"Your highness." He started with a slight break with voice. "Please forgive me for my intrusion. If you see fit I will take my punishment under the Pedrosa law and-" He couldn't even finish his sentence before strong arms wrapped around him, his face stuffed in the broad chest of the king.

"I would die, before I punished you. My son, you are home." He squeezed him harder. "You're home. That's all I care about." He placed a hand on Raimundo's head, pressing him closer.

"I could never punish you, because of how proud I am of you. You have become the man I have always envisioned you to be." The king said in a low whisper. Raimundo couldn't hold it back, the somehow familiar smell of his father invading his senses, his powerful words. He felt like a kid again.

They stayed like that for a long while before another voice entered the room.

"Mother, father?" Raimundo pulled back from the king and looked at the young, elegant woman stood at the door. Black hair down to her waist, eyes as green as a forest. A goofy smiled plastered on Raimundo's face. He walked past his father till her was face to face with her.

"Do you remember me?" He asked. The woman stared at him for a while and a smile blossomed on her face.

"Raimundo. I-I thought you died." She said quietly. He nodded his head and laughed.

"It's um…complicated…Micah.." He looked up at her and hugged her tight. Kimiko put it together; this was the girl who was in the picture from the watch. Micah Pedrosa, the remaining daughter, Raimundo's sister. Kimiko felt like her heart was melting. This love, this unconditional love. This she felt was what Raimundo has been missing. The feeling of home. The stories she heard true, the Pedrosas'. They were kind and gentle and strong. No matter how much Raimundo wanted to deny it, he was a Pedrosa. And now, he was home.

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN: So it's been a year since the last time I updated this story. My excuse? I don't really have one. I lost interest in this story long ago but as of recently after my first year of college was done, the story line of this I caught interest again. I decided since now it is summer, and this story only has a few chapters left, I owe it to my readers (If I still have any) To finish this story. I do apologize for my lack of love in this story but I promise I will finish it. I love you all and thank you for all of the support I have had for this story over the years. (: Till next time! -F**_


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